absorbable

A1B3S1O1R1B3A1B3L1E1
US/əbˈsɔɹb.ə.bl̩/US/əbˈzɔɹb.ə.bl̩/

adjective

Capable of being absorbed or swallowed up.

Opposite
adsorbable
OriginEnglish absorb ← Middle French absorber ← Old French assorbir →
UncommonScrabble 16
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Meanings

adjectiveabsorbable (comparative more absorbable, superlative most absorbable)

comparative more absorbable · superlative most absorbable

  1. Capable of being absorbed or swallowed up.
nounabsorbable (plural absorbables)

plural absorbables

  1. A material that can be absorbed.

    There is general agreement that nonabsorbable materials are better than absorbables. The most popular materials are polypropylene mesh and PTFE produced as a patch.

    204, C. D. Johnson, I. Taylor, Recent Advances in Surgery (volume 27, page 46)

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectivecapable of being absorbed or taken in through the pores of a surface

Opposite
adsorbable

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂ep
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂epó
  3. Proto-Italic*ap
  4. Latinab
  5. Latinab-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*srebʰ-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*srobʰéyeti
  8. Proto-Italic*sorβeō
  9. Latinsorbeō
  10. Latinabsorbeō
  11. Old Frenchassorbir
  12. Middle Frenchabsorber
  13. Englishabsorb
  14. Englishabsorbable

From absorb + -able. First attested in the late 18th century.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 可吸收的
  • 可吸收的 (kě xīshōu de)capable of being absorbed
Czech absorbovatelný
  • absorbovatelnýcapable of being absorbed
Dutch absorbeerbaar, aanleerbaar
  • absorbeerbaarcapable of being absorbed
  • aanleerbaarcapable of being absorbed
Finnish imeytettävissä oleva
  • imeytettävissä olevacapable of being absorbed
French absorbable
  • absorbablecapable of being absorbed
German absorbierbar
  • absorbierbarcapable of being absorbed
Greek απορροφήσιμος
  • απορροφήσιμος (aporrofísimos)capable of being absorbed
Hungarian felszívható, felszívásra képes
  • felszívhatócapable of being absorbed
  • felszívásra képescapable of being absorbed
Italian assorbibile
  • assorbibilecapable of being absorbed
Japanese 吸収性のある
  • 吸収性のあるcapable of being absorbed
Portuguese absorvível
  • absorvívelcapable of being absorbed
Romanian absorbabil
  • absorbabilcapable of being absorbed
Russian абсорби́руемый
  • абсорби́руемый (absorbírujemyj)capable of being absorbed
Spanish absorbible
  • absorbiblecapable of being absorbed
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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