-ible

/ɪbəl//əbəl/

suffix

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”

OriginMiddle English -ible ← Old French -ible ← Latin -ibilis →
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

-ible1

suffix

alternative -able

  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

-ible2

suffix

alternative -able

  1. An instrumental suffix; forms nouns representing:
    1. a tool or instrument

      crucible, mandible, thurible

    2. a place or location

Origin

-ible · suffix

  1. Latin-ibilis
  2. Old French-ible
  3. Middle English-ible
  4. English-ible

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

More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

-ible · suffix

  1. Proto-Indo-European*-dʰlom
  2. Latin-i-
  3. English-ible

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).

More words from Latin, Proto-Indo-European

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan -able, -ible
  • -ableable to be done
  • -ibleable to be done
Dutch -baar, etc.
  • -baarable to be done
  • etc.relevant or suitable to, in accordance with
  • -baarexpressing capacity or worthiness in a passive sense
Esperanto -ebla, -ebla
  • -eblaable to be done
  • -eblaexpressing capacity or worthiness in a passive sense
Finnish -tava, -tävä
  • -tavaable to be done
  • -täväable to be done
  • -tavaexpressing capacity or worthiness in a passive sense
  • -täväexpressing capacity or worthiness in a passive sense
French -ible
  • -ibleable to be done
German -bar
  • -barable to be done
Hungarian -ható, -hető
  • -hatóable to be done
  • -hetőable to be done
Italian -ibile, -abile
  • -ibileable to be done
  • -abileable to be done
  • -ibileexpressing capacity or worthiness in a passive sense
  • -abileexpressing capacity or worthiness in a passive sense
Japanese -られる, -られる
  • -られる (rareru)able to be done
  • -られる (rareru)expressing capacity or worthiness in a passive sense
Portuguese -ável, -ível
  • -ávelable to be done
  • -ívelable to be done
  • -ávelexpressing capacity or worthiness in a passive sense
  • -ívelexpressing capacity or worthiness in a passive sense
Romanian -bil, -bil
  • -bilable to be done
  • -bilexpressing capacity or worthiness in a passive sense
Russian -а́емый, -а́ющийся
  • -а́емый (-ájemyj)able to be done
  • -а́ющийся (-ájuščijsja)able to be done
Spanish -able, -ible
  • -ableexpressing capacity or worthiness in a passive sense
  • -ibleexpressing capacity or worthiness in a passive sense
Swedish -bar, -abel
  • -barable to be done
  • -abelrelevant or suitable to, in accordance with
  • -barrelevant or suitable to, in accordance with
  • -barexpressing capacity or worthiness in a passive sense
Cite this entry
APA

-ible. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-ible

MLA

“-ible.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-ible. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “-ible,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-ible.

Source: -ible on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.