-ible — able, ible 1. general. These two suffixes are derived from Latin endings abilis and ibilis, either directly or through Old French. Of the two, able is an active suffix that can be freely added to the stems of transitive verbs, whereas the set of… … Modern English usage
-able — able, ible 1. general. These two suffixes are derived from Latin endings abilis and ibilis, either directly or through Old French. Of the two, able is an active suffix that can be freely added to the stems of transitive verbs, whereas the set of… … Modern English usage
-ible — suffix forming adjectives meaning that may or may be (see ABLE) (terrible; forcible; possible). Etymology: F ible or L ibilis * * * see able * * * var. of able, occurring in words borrowed from Latin (credible; horrible; … Useful english dictionary
-able — 1. In adding this suffix to a verb, the general rule is to drop a silent e (livable, lovable) except after a soft g (manageable) or sibilant c (peaceable). When a verb ends with a consonant and a y (justify, indemnify) change the y to i before… … Bryson’s dictionary for writers and editors
-ible — able a*ble ( [.a]*b l). [F. able, L. abilis.] An adjective suffix now usually in a passive sense; able to be; fit to be; expressing capacity or worthiness in a passive sense; as, movable, able to be moved; amendable, able to be amended; blamable … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
-able — a*ble ( [.a]*b l). [F. able, L. abilis.] An adjective suffix now usually in a passive sense; able to be; fit to be; expressing capacity or worthiness in a passive sense; as, movable, able to be moved; amendable, able to be amended; blamable, fit… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
-ible — suffix forming adjectives from verbs, borrowed in Middle English from O.Fr. ible and directly from L. ibilis; see ABLE (Cf. able) … Etymology dictionary
-able — suffix expressing ability, capacity, fitness, from French, from L. ibilis, abilis, forming adjectives from verbs, from PIE * tro , a suffix used to form nouns of instrument. In Latin, infinitives in are took abilis, others ibilis; in English,… … Etymology dictionary
Enlightenment I (The French): science, materialism and determinism — The French Enlightenment I: science, materialism and determinism Peter Jimack The French Enlightenment is not just a convenient label devised by historians of philosophy, and the thinkers to be discussed in this chapter and the next were for the… … History of philosophy
Comparative and superlative adjectives — ◊ GRAMMAR comparative adjectives Comparative adjectives are used to indicate that something has more of a quality than something else, or more than it used to have. The comparative of an adjective is formed by adding er , as in smaller , or by… … Useful english dictionary
