Most negative words are derived from positives. (Someone who is indecent is the opposite of someone who is decent, for example.) But there are some which seem to have come into existence on their own, derived from some perceived need to acknowledge a lack of something that isn't worth mentioning if it is present. These words have no corresponding positives (or, if they do, no one ever uses them). Here are some such words:
invincible Why do we never hear of a vincible person?
ruthless I have never heard of anyone who was ruthful (maybe a pregnant woman who already knows the name of her female baby? or is that reaching?)
priceless A very weird one: what it actually means is priceful, but you never hear anyone use that.
inert Since there are few inert elements, I guess there must be a lot of ert ones.
inane Ever hear someone make an ane remark?
inept Since eptness is a missing concept, is it really so bad to be inept?
incorrigible Again, have you ever heard of soeone who is corrigible?
inebriated Or ebriated? ("Really, officer, I'm actually quite ebriated this evening.")
Know any more? Send them to me!
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