-able (English)
Where does "-able" come from?
The English adjectival suffix '-able' was inherited from Middle English '-able', having been borrowed from Old French '-able'[1]. This Old French form traces back to the Latin suffix '-ābilis', meaning capable or worthy of being acted upon[1]. The Latin form itself derives from the Proto-Indo-European i-stem suffix '*-dʰli-' of '*-dʰlom', an instrumental suffix[1]. Despite modern semantic similarities, the suffix is not closely related etymologically to the independent word 'able'[1].
Full etymology tree
- -able (English), 'An adjectival suffix; forms adjectives meaning:'
- inherited -able (Middle English), 'Forming adjectives denoting ability, relevance or inclination; -able.'
- borrowed -able (Old French), 'worthy of, deserving of'
- derived -abilis (Latin), '-able; able or worthy to be.'
- compound -a- (Latin)
- compound -bilis (Latin), '-(a)ble; used to form an adjective, usually from a verb, indicating a capacity or worth of being acted upon.'
- derived *-dʰli- (Proto-Indo-European)
- derived *-dʰlom (Proto-Indo-European), 'alternative form of *-trom'
- derived *-dʰli- (Proto-Indo-European)
- derived -abilis (Latin), '-able; able or worthy to be.'
- borrowed -able (Old French), 'worthy of, deserving of'
- inherited -able (Middle English), 'Forming adjectives denoting ability, relevance or inclination; -able.'
Ancestors
- -able (Middle English)
- -able (Old French)
- -abilis (Latin)
Sources
Updated September 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris