legible

adjective

leg·​i·​ble ˈle-jə-bəl 

1

: capable of being read or deciphered : plain

legible handwriting

2

: capable of being discovered or understood

… murder sweltered in his heart and was legible upon his face.

—Thomas Wolfe

legibility

ˌle-jə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

legibly

ˈle-jə-blē 

adverb

Synonyms of legible

• understandable
• accessible

Examples of legible in a Sentence

The document is not legible.

an anxious mood that was clearly legible upon her face

Recent Examples on the Web

The talent of cinematographer Colm Hogan maintains every object and Scott legible to the eye during this extended passage where everything appears coated in gray hues. —Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 15 Mar. 2026

The Palisade cuts the perfect balance—highly legible screens that look great and make excellent use of their digital real estate. —Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 12 Mar. 2026

Gender Queer supplies this missing vocabulary in clear and accessible language that will resonate with trans readers of any age, while also making these experiences legible to those who haven’t shared them. —Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026

Games needed to function with the platform's unique controls, as well as offer playable frame rates and legible interfaces. —Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 11 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin legibilis, from Latin legere to read

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for legible

• illegible

Kids Definition

legible

adjective

leg·​i·​ble ˈlej-ə-bəl 

: capable of being read : plain

legible handwriting

legibility

ˌlej-ə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun

legibly

ˈlej-ə-blē 

adverb