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-ible. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
-ible, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
-ible in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
-ible you have here. The definition of the word
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English
Alternative forms
Etymology 1
From Middle English, from Old French, from Latin -ibilis.
Suffix
-ible
- An adjective suffix, now usually in a passive sense; forms adjectives meaning "able to be", "relevant or suitable to, in accordance with", or expressing capacity or worthiness in a passive sense.
- convertible
Usage notes
- The form -able is usually used in the same sense and is pronounced the same, though sometimes equivalent terms have diverged in meaning: compare suggestable (“capable of being suggested”) with suggestible (“susceptible to influence by suggestion”).
- Generally not productive in English – most words ending in -ible are borrowed from Latin, or Old or Middle French, while -able is more common for producing new words. Examples of production in English include collectible and gullible.
- In general, forms derived from Latin verbs of the second, third, and fourth conjugations take -ible, as well as a few words whose roots end in a soft c or g. All other words take -able, particularly words from the Latin first conjugation, words that evolved through French, and words from Anglo-Saxon.
- Fowler, in his English Usage, recommended using -ible for simplicity in spelling with any verb whose root ends in a soft c or g (such as changible vs. changeable), but this recommendation has generally not been followed.
- Adjectives ending in -ible are occasionally nominalized, as in dirigible, foible, submersible. The adjective sense may become obsolete, as in foible.
- A few words end in “ible” but are not related to this suffix, instead being of different origin, generally a similar Latin suffix. Examples include crucible and mandible. See Etymology 2, below, for details.
Derived terms
terms derived using -ible
Translations
relevant or suitable to, in accordance with
expressing capacity or worthiness in a passive sense
Translations to be checked
See also
Etymology 2
From Middle English, from Old French, from Latin -i- + -bulum (instrumental suffix) or -bula (instrumental suffix), from Proto-Indo-European *-dʰlom. Related to Latin suffixes -brum (candelabrum) and -bra (vertebra).
Suffix
-ible
- An instrumental suffix; forms nouns representing:
- a tool or instrument
- crucible, mandible, thurible
- a place or location
Usage notes
This use of -ible is not productive in English. Confusion may arise from mistaking nouns ending with this suffix as being forms derived from the adjectival suffixes mentioned in Etymology 1 above.
Derived terms
Anagrams
Catalan
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin -ibilis.
Suffix
-ible m or f (adjective-forming suffix, masculine and feminine plural -ibles)
- -ible, -able
Usage notes
- This suffix is used for verbs of the second and third conjugations, which end in -er, -re or -ir. For the first-conjugation verbs, which end in -ar, the suffix is -able.
Derived terms
French
Etymology
Inherited from Old French -ible, from Latin -ibilis.
Pronunciation
Suffix
-ible (plural -ibles)
- -ible
Derived terms
Further reading
Old French
Etymology
From Latin -ibilis.
Suffix
-ible
- -ible (variant of -able)
Spanish
Etymology
Inherited from Latin -ibilis.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈible/
- Rhymes: -ible
- Syllabification: -i‧ble
Suffix
-ible m or f (adjective-forming suffix, masculine and feminine plural -ibles)
- -ible
Derived terms
Related terms
Further reading