infallible

Everyday

1. Never wrong; never making a mistake. tree →
2. Always working or always succeeding: an infallible method. tree →
3. (church) Catholics believe the Pope is infallible when he solemnly teaches on faith and morals; this is called papal infallibility. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday talk: «nobody is infallible», «Mum's infallible cure for hiccups». In science: no test or person is infallible, so we check results. In church history lessons: the Catholic teaching of papal infallibility.

Examples

• Nobody is infallible; everyone makes mistakes sometimes. tree →
• Grandma has an infallible recipe for pancakes. tree →
• The detective's memory was almost infallible. tree →
• Even computers are not infallible. tree →
• Catholics believe the Pope is infallible only in special solemn teachings, not in everything he says. tree →
• There is no infallible way to win at games of chance. tree →
• Laughing is an infallible sign of the highest degree of mental development. tree →

Note

Formal word. Opposite: fallible (able to make mistakes). Trap: papal infallibility does not mean Catholics think the Pope never sins or never makes ordinary mistakes. Spelling: double l.