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- pronunciation:
- keI
p
bl
- features:
- Word Parts
| part of speech: |
adjective |
| definition 1: |
having the ability to perform as required; competent.
She is a highly capable teacher who accomplishes a great deal with her students.- synonyms:
- able, competent, effectual, good, qualified
- antonyms:
- incapable, incompetent
- similar words:
- adept, apt, clever, effective, efficacious, ingenious, knowledgeable, on the ball, proficient, resourceful, skillful, smart
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| definition 2: |
having the mental or physical ability to accomplish a particular thing (usually followed by "of").
She is capable of great success if she puts her mind to it.Two weeks after surgery, I was capable of standing by myself.- synonyms:
- able
- antonyms:
- incapable
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| definition 3: |
having the psychological makeup that allows a particular emotion or the carrying out of particular act (usu. fol. by "of").
We couldn't believe he was capable of murder.She had not thought that she was capable of falling in love again.- similar words:
- open, receptive, subject, susceptible
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| related words: |
accomplished, equal, expert, strong |
| derivation: |
capably (adv.) |
The word capable
contains the following parts:
cap1, cip, capt, cept, -ceive, -ceit
Latin
root
that means to take, catch
  Example words:
accept, acceptable, acceptance, capability, capable, capacity, captive, capture, conceive, concept, deceive, deception, except, exception, incapable, inconceivable, intercept, participant, participate, perceive, receive, reception
-able, -ible, -ble
Latin
adjective-forming suffix
that means capable of being, doing, or undergoing
More about this word part:
The suffix -able
, and its variants, is attached to Latin verb roots or English transitive verbs to form adjectives. (In a small set of cases, -able
is attached to a noun, e.g. knowledgeable and marriageable.) For spelling purposes, it is useful to know that -able
is more likely to be added to a whole English word (comparable, adorable
), while -ible
is more likely to follow a bound root (visible
, legible
). However,there are still many words which combine a root with -able
(capable
, inevitable
). The suffix -ity can be added to any adjective ending in -able
, -ible
, -ble
to produce a corresponding noun ending in -ability, -ibility, -bility (possible
+ -ity > possibility; irrevocable + -ity > irrevocability.)
Example words:
acceptable, accessible, adorable, amiable, audible, biodegradable, capable, convertible, dependable, disagreeable, disposable, divisible, eligible, flammable, flexible, illegible, impossible, inaudible, incapable, incomprehensible, inconceivable, incredible, incurable, indivisible, inevitable, invaluable, invincible, invisible, irreversible, legible, likable, lovable, movable, notable, perishable, portable, possible, sensible, usable, visible, washable, affordable, reliable, remarkable, approachable, durable, renewable, sustainable
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