Impractical means not sensible or workable in real life. Fine on paper, hopeless on a wet Tuesday.
It describes plans and objects alike, so an impractical suggestion cannot be carried out and impractical shoes cannot be walked in. Applied to a person it means unable to do everyday tasks, which is a gentle criticism usually aimed at somebody clever. Keep it apart from impracticable, which means literally impossible to do rather than merely unwise, a distinction lawyers care about and most people do not.
1adjectiveimpracticalNot sensible or realistic to carry out.
“The whole scheme was wildly impractical.”
2adjectivesuitedNot suited to everyday practical use.
“They were beautiful but impractical shoes.”
Proto-Indo-European
*per- (fare)
Medieval Latin
practicālis
Middle English
practical
English
practical
English, today
impractical
From in- + practical. practical comes from Middle English practical, practicale, praktycall, from Medieval Latin practicālis.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA