unscannable

unscannable

A poet sets aside an unscannable verse.

Definition
  1. Adjective:
    • Not able to be scanned: "unscannable" describes something that cannot be read, interpreted, or processed by a scanner (such as a barcode scanner, document scanner, or medical imaging device) due to poor quality, damage, or design flaws.
    • Not suitable for scanning: Refers to text, images, or codes that are illegible, distorted, or otherwise incompatible with scanning technology.
Usage Examples
  • (The barcode could not be read by the scanner.)
  • (The faded text could not be digitized by a document scanner.)
  • (The code was too tiny for the camera to read.)
Advanced Usage

  • "unscannable code": a code that cannot be decoded by a scanner.

    • The supermarket had to manually enter the price because the product's code was unscannable. (The barcode was unreadable.)

  • "unscannable text": text that cannot be captured by an optical character recognition (OCR) system.

    • The handwritten notes were so messy they were practically unscannable. (The handwriting could not be recognized by OCR software.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Unscannable (adj): the base form, as defined above.
  • Scannable (adj): capable of being scanned.
    • Ensure the barcode is clean and scannable. (The barcode must be readable by a scanner.)
  • Scan (v): to examine or read using a scanner.
    • She will scan the document to create a digital copy. (She will use a scanner.)
  • Scanner (n): a device that scans objects or documents.
    • The office has a new document scanner. (A device for scanning papers.)
Synonyms
  • Illegible: not clear enough to be read (often used for handwriting or print).
    • The prescription was illegible; the pharmacist could not read it. (Unreadable by human eye.)
  • Unreadable: impossible to read or interpret.
    • The damaged disk was unreadable by the computer. (Could not be accessed.)
  • Indecipherable: not able to be understood or decoded.
    • The ancient script was indecipherable. (Could not be translated.)
Related Idioms
  • "Beyond the pale": outside the bounds of acceptable behaviour or readability (rarely used for physical scanning).
    • His handwriting is beyond the pale — completely unscannable. (Extremely poor quality.)