ScienceAugust 27, 2026
unrepeatable
un-ree-PEE-tuh-bul
Definition
An event or occurrence that happens only once and cannot be replicated or observed again under the exact same conditions.
Etymology
Derived from the prefix 'un-' (meaning not) added to 'repeatable,' which comes from the Old French 'repeter' and the Latin 'repetere' (to do again or fetch back).
In the news
The article uses the word to describe observations of elephant behavior toward the dead, noting that such events are rare and cannot be intentionally recreated for scientific study.
Elephants don't simply walk away when one of their own dies — they have been observed keeping vigil beside the body, touching it repeatedly with their trunks and returning days later, suggesting a surprisingly complex awareness of death
Read the full article ↗ScienceBlog.com