The Latin word inexpugnabĭlis arrived in Spanish as impregnable . We have to explain that this Latin word is the result of the sum of several lexical components of said language:
-The prefix «in-«, which can be translated as «no» or «without».
-The verb «expugnare», which is synonymous with «assault».
-The suffix "-bilis", which is used to indicate "that you can."
This term has three meanings recognized by the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ) in its dictionary.
The place that is impossible to conquer or dominate through the use of weapons is classified as impregnable. For example: "The terrorist group has an impregnable bastion in the north of the country" , "Due to its geographical location, the island was always impregnable: no foreigner could conquer it throughout history" , "The army leaders believed that the The city was impregnable, but it took ten days of siege for the invader to overcome its resistance .
The site or enclosure to which it is very difficult to access is also mentioned as impregnable: "Nature itself made the pre-Hispanic citadel impregnable with the growth of vegetation," "This prison is impregnable: no one can arrive or leave without being seen by the sentries» , «It is believed that tons of earth cover the remains of the impregnable palace» .
At an architectural and even historical level we have to establish that there are some fortresses of medieval origin that were considered and continue to be considered impregnable. We are referring, for example, to the following:
-The great Hohensalzburg Castle, in Salzburg (Austria), which dates back to the 11th century and can only be accessed by funicular.
-Bran Castle, which is located in Transylvania, dating back to the 12th century and which Bram Stoker chose for Count Dracula to live there.
Another use of impregnable is associated with what cannot be overcome, reversed or defeated : «The defense of the local team was impregnable: despite the rival's efforts, the goal was never at risk» , «After complaints of harassment, the actor maintained an impregnable public silence for more than a year" , "It is important that users accept that no antivirus is impregnable."
As can be seen in the various examples , impregnable can be used in a physical or symbolic sense. A structure buried by thousands of kilograms of earth is impregnable since no person can reach it; a silence that is not broken by the individual's own will is, in a metaphorical sense, impregnable.
Among the words that function as a synonym for impregnable, we can highlight some such as unbreakable , invincible, unconquerable, firm, strong, solid, tenacious and even insurmountable. On the contrary, among the antonyms of this term we find weak, surmountable, breakable, conquerable or conquerable.
The term we are now dealing with is also used in the field of video games. A good example of this is that there is what is called the Impregnable Tower. This is a victory technique used in the game called "Inazuma Eleven 2."
However, we must not forget that impregnable tower is used in the Christian religion to refer to the name of the Lord.