communicable

C3O1M3M3U1N1I1C3A1B3L1E1
/kəˈmjuːnɪkəbəl/

adjective

Able to be transmitted between people or animals.

“(but the last two are not interchangeable in formal registers)”

Similar
transmissiblespreadablecatchingcontagiouscontractabletransmittableinfectiouscommunicative
Opposite
nontransmissiblenoncommunicableincommunicableineffable
OriginOld French communicable ← Latin communicabilis →
Less commonScrabble 22
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Word of the Day · Nov 1, 2021

Meanings

adjectivecommunicable (comparative more communicable, superlative most communicable)

comparative more communicable · superlative most communicable

  1. epidemiologyAble to be transmitted between people or animals.

    (but the last two are not interchangeable in formal registers)

    Synonyms: transmissible, spreadable, catching · Antonyms: nontransmissible, noncommunicable

  2. Readily communicated.

    Antonyms: incommunicable, ineffable

  3. Talkative or expansive.

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveAble to be transmitted between people or animals.

Similar
transmissiblespreadablecatching
Opposite
nontransmissiblenoncommunicable

adjectiveReadily communicated.

Opposite
incommunicableineffable

More synonyms by meaning

adjective(of disease) capable of being transmitted by infection

Similar
catchingcontagiouscontractabletransmissibletransmittableinfectious

adjectivereadily communicated

Similar
communicativecommunicatory
Also see
catchingcontagiouscontractableinfectioustransmissibletransmittable

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latincommunicabilis
  2. Old Frenchcommunicable
  3. Englishcommunicable

From Old French communicable, Latin communicabilis.

More words from Old French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan comunicable
  • comunicableable to be transmitted between people or species
Czech přenosný
  • přenosnýable to be transmitted between people or species
French communicable, communiquable
  • communicableable to be transmitted between people or species
  • communiquableable to be transmitted between people or species
Greek μεταδόσιμος, μεταδοτικός
  • μεταδόσιμος (metadósimos)able to be transmitted between people or species
  • μεταδοτικός (metadotikós)able to be transmitted between people or species
Hungarian fertőző, ragályos
  • fertőzőable to be transmitted between people or species
  • ragályosable to be transmitted between people or species
Indonesian berjangkit, menular
  • berjangkitable to be transmitted between people or species
  • menularable to be transmitted between people or species
Italian trasmissibile
  • trasmissibileable to be transmitted between people or species
Japanese 伝染性の
  • 伝染性の (densensei no)able to be transmitted between people or species
Malay berjangkit
  • berjangkitable to be transmitted between people or species
Polish komunikowalny
  • komunikowalnyable to be transmitted between people or species
Spanish comunicable
  • comunicableable to be transmitted between people or species
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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