Contextualizebeta

-able

suffix
/əbl̩/

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *-tḗr Proto-Indo-European *-dʰlom Proto-Indo-European *-dʰlis Proto-Italic *-ðlis Latin -bilis Latin -ābilis Old French -ablebor. Middle English -able English -able Inherited from Middle English -able, borrowed from Old French -able, from Latin -ābilis, from -a- or -i- + -bilis (“capable or worthy of being acted upon”), from Proto-Indo-European i-stem form *-dʰli- of *-dʰlom (“instrumental suffix”). Not closely related etymologically, though currently related semantically, to able. Displaced native Old English -endlīc.

  1. derived from -ābilis
  2. derived from -able
  3. inherited from -able

Definitions

  1. Able to be done

    Able to be done; fit to be done.

    • move + -able → movable (“able to be moved”)
    • amend + -able → amendable (“able to be amended”)
    • break + -able → breakable (“liable to break”)

  2. Relevant to or suitable to, in accordance with.

    • fashion + -able → fashionable (“relevant to fashion”)
    • season + -able → seasonable (“suitable to season”)

  3. Giving, or inclined to.

    • pleasure + -able → pleasurable (“giving pleasure”)
    • peace + -able → peaceable (“inclined to peace”)
  4. ›+ 3 more definitions

    1. Inviting a specified behavior.

      • Near-synonym: -er (etymology 1, suffix sense 2)
      • punch + -able → punchable (“inviting being punched”)
      • kiss + -able → kissable (“evoking the desire to be kissed”)

    2. Subject to.

      • report + -able → reportable (“subject to be reported”)
      • tax + -able → taxable (“subject to be taxed”)

    3. Due to be.

      • pay + -able → payable (“due to be paid”)

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for -able. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA