Untenable Definition And Origin

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Untenable definition and origin. Anxiety caused by a dread of environmental perils especially climate change. Figurative sense is recorded from 1690s. Not capable of being occupied or lived in. Untenable and its opposite tenable come to us from old french tenir and ultimately from latin tenēre both of which mean to hold we tend to use untenable in situations where an idea or position is so off base that holding on to it is unjustified or inexcusable.

Untenable adj 1640s indefensible incapable of being held against attack from un 1 not tenable adj.