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-ável. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
-ável, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
-ável in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
-ável you have here. The definition of the word
-ável will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
-ável, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Portuguese
Etymology
From Old Galician-Portuguese -avel, from Latin -ābilis. Compare -able in various other languages; e.g. Sicilian -àvili, for a similar morphology.
Pronunciation
Suffix
-ável m or f (adjective-forming suffix, plural -áveis)
- -able, used to form adjectives from 1st-conjugation verbs
- cantar (“to sing”) + -ável → cantável (“singable”)
- aumentar (“to increase”) + -ável → aumentável (“increasable”)
Usage notes
- Some words ending in -ável are descended directly from Latin as opposed to being formed from a stem and a suffix.
Derived terms