Suppose that a first-order formula described the inaccessible cardinal , so that were the least ordinal with . Since is inaccessible, is a model of ZFC. Apply the Lévy reflection theorem inside this model to the single formula . There is some for whichThe right side holds, so the left side contradicts the asserted minimality of . Hence no first-order formula describes an inaccessible cardinal, as recorded by ordinal described by a first-order formula.
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