immemorial, a.
(ɪmɪˈmɔərɪəl)
[ad. med.L. immemoriāl-is, f. im- (im-2) + memoriālis (Suetonius) memorial. Cf. F. immémorial (16th c. in Littré).]
That is beyond memory or ‘out of mind’; ancient beyond memory or record; extremely old.
| 1602 W. Fulbecke Pandectes iv. 19 In making title by prescription and continuance of time immemoriall. 1696 Whiston Th. Earth ii. (1722) 124 Which..was the immemorial beginning of the Ancient Year long before the time of Moses. 1765 Blackstone Comm. I. Introd. 64 They receive their binding power, and the force of laws, by long and immemorial usage. 1847 Tennyson Princ. vii. 206 The moan of doves in immemorial elms. 1872 Wharton Law-Lex. (ed. 5), Immemorial usage, a practice which has existed time out of mind; custom; prescription. |
Hence immeˈmorialness (Bailey vol. II, 1727).