inerte
inert
adjective ee-NER-teh Rare
Origin: From Latin iners, 'unskilled, idle'.
Also means
inactive
Usage Note
Inerte is invariable for gender — un gas inerte, una sostanza inerte. It covers both scientific use (inert gas, chemically unreactive substance) and figurative use (a passive, unresponsive person). The plural is inerti. Do not confuse with inetto (inept), which implies incompetence rather than mere passivity.
Examples
"L'argon è un gas inerte."
Natural Translation
Argon is an inert gas.
Related Words
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