legible

1 of 2

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

legibility

2 of 2

noun

leg·​i·​bil·​i·​ty ˌlejəˈbilətē 

-ətē, 

-i

plural -es

: the quality or state of being legible

the influence of typeface on the legibility of print

—Helen A. Webster & M. A. Tinker

Synonyms of legible

Adjective

• understandable
• accessible

Examples of legible in a Sentence

Adjective

The document is not legible.

an anxious mood that was clearly legible upon her face

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

This is where the scarcity behavior becomes legible as data rather than vibes. — Olivia Shalhoup, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026

In December 2024, independent journalist Ken Klippenstein published a transcript of the legible parts of the manifesto. — Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 14 Aug. 2026

Although their identities are still unknown, both their military identification tags are intact and likely will be legible upon further examination. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 13 Aug. 2026

Like a vigilant technician, Klotho steps in at each stage and adjusts the focus back to the original, ensuring that those biological copies remain accurate and legible. — Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 9 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

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

First Known Use

Adjective

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