ductile

D2U1C3T1I1L1E1
UK/ˈdʌk.taɪl/US/ˈdʌk.təl/

adjective

Capable of being pulled or stretched into thin wire by mechanical force without breaking.

“ductile shape”

Similar
flexibletractableplasticpliantmalleablemanipulablepliabletensile
Opposite
brittle
OriginLatin ductilis →
Less commonScrabble 10
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Meanings

adjectiveductile (comparative more ductile, superlative most ductile)

comparative more ductile · superlative most ductile

  1. Capable of being pulled or stretched into thin wire by mechanical force without breaking.

    ductile shape

    5 more examples

    ductile material

    ductile alloy

    ductile state

    Gold is highly ductile, allowing it to be drawn into very fine wires.

    The ductile nature of copper makes it essential in electrical wiring.

  2. Molded easily into a new form.

    their organisation was, by hereditary culture, much more ductile and more readily capable of acquiring knowledge than mine.

    1871, Edward Bulwer-Lytton, The Coming Race, Chapter VII

    Synonyms: flexible

  3. rareLed easily; prone to follow.

    Synonyms: tractable

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveMolded easily into a new form.

Similar
flexible

adjectiveLed easily; prone to follow.

Similar
tractable
Similar
plasticpliant

antonym(s) of “capable of being pulled into thin wire”

Opposite
brittle

More synonyms by meaning

adjectiveeasily influenced

Similar
malleabletractablemanipulable

adjectivecapable of being shaped or bent or drawn out

Similar
malleablepliableplianttensiletractileformed
Also see
flexibleinfluenceablemalleablemanipulableplasticpliablepliantsequacioussuggestibletensiletractabletractile

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinductilis“easily led”
  2. Englishductile

From Old French, from Latin ductilis (“easily led”).

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian ковък, пластичен
  • ковък (kovăk)capable of being pulled or stretched into thin wire
  • пластичен (plastičen)molded easily into a new form
  • податлив (podatliv)easily led
Catalan dúctil
  • dúctilcapable of being pulled or stretched into thin wire
Danish stækbar, smidig
  • stækbarcapable of being pulled or stretched into thin wire
  • smidigmolded easily into a new form
  • sejmolded easily into a new form
  • føjeligeasily led
Finnish venyvä, muokattava
  • venyväcapable of being pulled or stretched into thin wire
  • muokattavacapable of being pulled or stretched into thin wire
  • muokattavamolded easily into a new form
  • johdateltavaeasily led
  • herkkäuskoineneasily led
  • hyväuskoineneasily led
French ductile
  • ductilecapable of being pulled or stretched into thin wire
German duktil, duktil
  • duktilcapable of being pulled or stretched into thin wire
  • duktilmolded easily into a new form
  • formbarmolded easily into a new form
  • verformbarmolded easily into a new form
  • fügsameasily led
Greek όλκιμος
  • όλκιμος (ólkimos)capable of being pulled or stretched into thin wire
Italian duttile, trafilabile
  • duttilecapable of being pulled or stretched into thin wire
  • trafilabilecapable of being pulled or stretched into thin wire
  • duttilemolded easily into a new form
Māori kōngohe
  • kōngohecapable of being pulled or stretched into thin wire
Norwegian formbar
  • formbarcapable of being pulled or stretched into thin wire
Portuguese dúctil, dúctil
  • dúctilcapable of being pulled or stretched into thin wire
  • dúctilmolded easily into a new form
  • dúctileasily led
Russian тягучий, эластичный
  • тягучий (tjagučij)capable of being pulled or stretched into thin wire
  • эластичный (elastičnyj)molded easily into a new form
  • послу́шный (poslúšnyj)easily led
Slovak kujný m rozťažný, tvárny m tvarovateľný m poddajný
  • kujný m rozťažnýcapable of being pulled or stretched into thin wire
  • tvárny m tvarovateľný m poddajnýmolded easily into a new form
  • poddajný m ovládateľnýeasily led
Swedish duktil, formbar
  • duktilcapable of being pulled or stretched into thin wire
  • formbarmolded easily into a new form
Turkish sünek
  • sünekcapable of being pulled or stretched into thin wire

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

dulcite
Cite this entry
APA

ductile. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ductile

MLA

“ductile.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ductile. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ductile,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ductile.

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