definable

adjective de·fin·able \ di-ˈfī-nə-bəl \

|Updated on: 17 Jun 2018

Definition of definable

1 : able to be defined

2 : able to be specified to have a particular function or operation

definable keys

—

definably

play \-ˈfī-nə-blē\ adverb

Recent Examples of definable from the Web

In some not-quite-definable way, the film itself is all of a piece with Rogers’s principled gentleness.

— peter rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, "'Mister Rogers' documentary 'Won’t You Be My Neighbor?' is full of sentiment, affection," 8 June 2018
Ranching’s realm is really, then, definable as being where most people are absent.

— jennifer percy, New York Times, "Fear of the Federal Government in the Ranchlands of Oregon," 18 Jan. 2018
The cello melody that emerges with falling gestures is instantly memorable but not easily definable.

— mark swed, latimes.com, "Esa-Pekka Salonen's Cello Concerto soars on Cloud Nine," 9 Feb. 2018
Although there have been few concrete, surefire findings that have come out of the study of positive psychology, one success of the field has been to make happiness a definable objective that can be worked for, like money or professional success.

— cody delistraty, The Cut, "Who Gets Left Out of the Advice to ‘Make Your Own Happiness’," 2 Feb. 2018
One of the things Sundance has long made clear is that there is no single, easily definable festival.

— manohla dargis, New York Times, "At Sundance, Films Filled With Fury, Propelled by Outsiders," 25 Jan. 2018
The definable ones suggest Sporting KC isn’t missing the man who led the club in scoring each of the past three seasons.

— sam mcdowell, kansascity, "Let’s revisit that Dom Dwyer trade. How’s it working out for Sporting KC?," 29 Sep. 2017
TRI-via To come up with the original 73, the city first considered historic neighborhood boundaries, then looked at nearby thoroughfares and intersections that might serve as more easily definable boundaries.

— mike scott, NOLA.com, "Where y'at? Good question: A history of New Orleans neighborhoods," 23 July 2017
Why hasn’t anyone considered the definable and better ROI of modifying the existing act?

— mercury news readers, The Mercury News, "Feb. 9 Letters: Give Betsy DeVos a chance to improve schools," 8 Feb. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'definable.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of definable

define + -able

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First Known Use: 1610

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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definable

Definition of definable

definably

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