a|ble

a|ble «AY buhl», adjective, a|bler, a|blest.

1. having enough power, skill, means, or talent to do something; capable: »

Most little children are able to walk before they are able to talk. A cat is able to see in the dark.

2. having more power or skill than most others have; skillful: »

She is an able teacher.

SYNONYM(S): expert, clever, accomplished.

3. done with skill: »

The audience applauded his able speech.

SYNONYM(S): effective.

4. legally authorized or qualified.

5. having the necessary qualifications: »

an able seaman.

╂[< Old French hable, able < Latin habilis fit, easily held or handled < habēre hold]

Synonym Study 1 Able, capable, competent mean having the skill or means to do or for doing something. Able emphasizes power to act or perform: »

She is able to earn a living.

Capable emphasizes fitness for doing, capacity or ability to do something adequately, or, sometimes, general efficiency: »

Washington proved himself capable both as soldier and as administrator.

Competent emphasizes possession of sufficient skill or other requirements to do a certain kind of work satisfactorily: »

A competent typist is not necessarily a competent secretary.

Usage When they do not precede nouns, able and competent are followed by to plus an infinitive, capable by of plus a gerund: »

able to work, competent to perform a task, capable of judging music.

-able,

suffix.

1. added to verbs that can be _____ed; able to be _____ed: »

Enjoyable = that can be enjoyed.

2. added to nouns suitable for _____; giving _____: »

Comfortable = giving comfort.

3. added to nouns inclined to _____; such as to _____: »

Peaceable = inclined to peace.

4. added to verbs and nouns fit to be _____ed; deserving of _____: »

Wearable = fit to be worn. Lovable = deserving of love.

5. added to verbs liable to be _____: »

Breakable = liable to be broken.

╂[< Old French -able < Latin -ābilis, a suffix forming adjectives from verbs with infinitives in -āre, being one form of the suffix -bilis]

Usage Instead of -able a number of words have the spelling -ible, which originally belonged largely to words from Latin infinitives in -ēre, -ere, or -īre (as in terrible). The living suffix is -able, used in coining occasional words like jumpable; -able is attached to verbs (actable), nouns (actionable), and even verbal phrases (get-at-able) to form adjectives.