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Incommensurable vs Incompatible - What's the difference?

incommensurable | incompatible |

As adjectives the difference between incommensurable and incompatible

is that incommensurable is (mathematics) of two real numbers, such that their ratio is not a fraction of two integers while incompatible is of two things: that cannot coexist; not congruous because of differences; irreconcilable; disagreeing.

As nouns the difference between incommensurable and incompatible

is that incommensurable is an incommensurable value or quantity; an irrational number while incompatible is (medicine|chemistry|chiefly|in the plural) an incompatible substance; one of a group of things that cannot be placed or used together because of a change of chemical composition or opposing medicinal qualities.

incommensurable

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • (mathematics) Of two real numbers, such that their ratio is not a fraction of two integers.
  • (arithmetic) Of two integers, having no common integer divisor except 1.
  • Not able to be measured by the same standards as another term in the context; see measurement; contrast with unmeasurable or immeasurable, each of which means not able to be measured at all, the former more generally, the latter generally due to some infinite quality of the thing being described
    • The side and diagonal of a square are incommensurable''' with each other; the diameter and circumference of a circle are '''incommensurable .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An incommensurable value or quantity; an irrational number.
  • * 1946 , Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy , ch. 3:
    • Unfortunately for Pythagoras, his theorem led at once to the discovery of incommensurables , which appeared to disprove his whole philosophy.

    External links

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    incompatible

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Of two things: that cannot coexist; not congruous because of differences; irreconcilable; disagreeing.
  • (chemistry) Incapable of being together without mutual reaction or decomposition, as certain medicines.

    • Antonyms

    * compatible

    Derived terms

    * incompatibly * incompatibility

    See also

    * incombinable * uncombinable * ununifiable * antagonistic * antipodal * contrastive

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (medicine, chemistry, chiefly, in the plural) An incompatible substance; one of a group of things that cannot be placed or used together because of a change of chemical composition or opposing medicinal qualities.
    • the incompatibles of iron
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