-ible

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English[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

From Middle English, from Old French, from Latin -ibilis.

Suffix[edit]

-ible

  1. 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[edit]
  • 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[edit]
terms derived using -ible
Translations[edit]
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
See also[edit]

Etymology 2[edit]

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[edit]

-ible

  1. An instrumental suffix; forms nouns representing:
    1. a tool or instrument
      crucible, mandible, thurible
    2. a place or location
Usage notes[edit]

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[edit]
Derived terms

Anagrams[edit]

Catalan[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from Latin -ibilis.

Suffix[edit]

-ible m or f (adjective-forming suffix, masculine and feminine plural -ibles)

  1. -ible, -able

Usage notes[edit]

  • 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[edit]

Catalan terms suffixed with -ible

French[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Inherited from Old French -ible, from Latin -ibilis.

Pronunciation[edit]

Suffix[edit]

-ible (plural -ibles)

  1. -ible

Derived terms[edit]

French terms suffixed with -ible

Further reading[edit]

Old French[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Latin -ibilis.

Suffix[edit]

-ible

  1. -ible (variant of -able)

Spanish[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Inherited from Latin -ibilis.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /ˈible/ [ˈi.β̞le]
  • Rhymes: -ible
  • Syllabification: -i‧ble

Suffix[edit]

-ible m or f (adjective-forming suffix, masculine and feminine plural -ibles)

  1. -ible

Derived terms[edit]

Spanish terms suffixed with -ible

Related terms[edit]

Further reading[edit]

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