What Does the Suffix ABLE Mean?

What Does the Suffix ABLE Mean?

The suffix ABLE or IBLE is very common in English. The video provides a clear definition and then 6 illustrated sentence examples so you will be able to easily answer the question: What does the suffix ABLE Mean?

Here is a transcript of the video: “Words With the Suffix ABLE | IBLE”

Slide 2:
The suffix ABLE or IBLE means:

able to do, can do, capable of

The clipart shows a boy in a hurdle race. He is energetic, fit, capable of physical activity.

Just a quick reminder:

Slide 3:
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Let’s look at some examples of words with the suffix ABLE or IBLE:

Slide 4:
CAPABLE

Definition: having the ability, fitness or quality needed to complete a task

From Latin capabilis – “able to grasp or hold”

Slide 5:
The picture shows a poor woman, smiling, and holding her young child.

Sentence example: She might be poor, with limited education, but she is a very capable mother!

Slide 6:
VISIBLE

Definition: able to be seen, obvious to the eye

From Latin visibilis – “that may be seen”

Slide 7:
In the picture we see a narrow street in the city of Nottingham, in the UK.

Sentence example: St. Peter’s church was visible in the distance.

Note this useful collocation – visible in the distance.

Slide 8:
LAUGHABLE

Definition: so ridiculous as to be funny, causing or deserving laughter or derision

Slide 9:
The picture shows an image of the human heart.

Sentence example: At one time it was a laughable idea that blood travels through the heart to be circulated throughout the body.

Note: Dr. William Harvey, a 17th century English physician, was ridiculed when he accurately described blood flow through the body.

Slide 10:
FORCIBLE

Definition: done by force

Slide 11:
In the picture we see a door with a broken window near the handle.

Sentence example: The police found signs of forcible entry.

Note: the phrase “forced entry” is also commonly used. Both forcible entry and forced entry are common collocations.

Slide 12:
BEARABLE

Definition: able to be endured

Slide 13:
In the picture we see a patient receiving medical treatment.

Sentence example: When the doctor asked him if the treatment was causing pain, he replied: “It’s bearable!”

In other words, he is saying the pain is not so great that he can’t endure it.

Side 14:
MANAGEABLE

Definition: able to be controlled

From Old French manège – horsemanship, to control a horse

Slide 15:
The picture shows a doctor filling out a form.

Sentence example: Now, with new rules and regulations, the paperwork is barely manageable.

In other words, there has been such an increase in paperwork, doctors can hardly manage it or keep it under control as it takes so much time.

“Barely manageable” is a common collocation.

Slide 16:
So remember, the suffix ABLE | IBLE simply means: able to do, can do, capable of as in:

CAPABLE
VISIBLE
LAUGHABLE
FORCIBLE
BEARABLE
MANAGEABLE

Slide 17:
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If you asked the question: What does the suffix ABLE mean? you will probably find this entry interesting also from The Suffixes Guide:
The Meaning of Suffix ITY – With Sentence Examples

Image Credits

Slide 5 – mother
Creative Commons
https://flic.kr/p/hYNvh

Slide 7 – church
Creative Commons
https://flic.kr/p/2jFFUqV

Slide 9 – heart
Creative Commons
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/Heart_anterior_exterior_view.png
William Harvey
Public Domain
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/William_Harvey_2.jpg

Slide 11 – burglary
Royalty Free
Courtesy of Thesiswhisperers at MorgueFile
https://morguefile.com/p/807976

Slide 13 – patient
Creative Commons
https://flic.kr/p/2hEYfL9

Slide 15 – medic
Creative Commons
https://flic.kr/p/9RSYic

Regarding the use of illustrations and photographs used in this video:

Creative Commons Attribution Licence
Others are allowed to copy, distribute, display, and perform copyrighted work – and derivative works based upon it if they give credit to the creator or source.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode

Royalty Free
The image may be used for almost any business, personal, educational or charitable purpose as long as a credit is published to the creator of the image.