legible

adjective leg·i·ble \ ˈle-jə-bəl \

Updated on: 13 May 2018

Definition of legible

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

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legibility

play \ˌle-jə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

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legibly

play \ˈle-jə-blē\ adverb

See legible defined for English-language learners

See legible defined for kids

Examples of legible in a Sentence

The document is not legible.
an anxious mood that was clearly legible upon her face

Recent Examples of legible from the Web

Other moments in the album feel more legible, hitting a particularly Malkmusian sweet spot: knowing, funny, unexpectedly poignant.

— james yeh, GQ, "Stephen Malkmus, the Dad of Indie Rock," 9 May 2018
The ground around some graves is sinking, headstones are toppled, inscriptions on some markers are no longer legible, and the cemetery is covered with leaves, branches, and other debris.

— melanie burney, Philly.com, "South Jersey cemetery for black Civil War veterans has fallen into disrepair; historic site is on endangered list," 4 May 2018
The place where the writing on the tombstones is most legible is in Buena Vista Park, where they were used to make rain gutters.

— gary kamiya, San Francisco Chronicle, "How San Francisco evicted thousands of dead people," 13 Apr. 2018
The autograph of Steve Miller is easily among the most legible, printed with almost typewriter precision.

— chuck yarborough, cleveland.com, "Rock Hall's new 'Experience' exhibit succeeds in creating more good memories (photos, review)," 15 Apr. 2018
Her handwriting was legible for the first time in decades.

— allyson chiu, Washington Post, "While undergoing brain surgery, patient plays her flute," 2 Apr. 2018
Her handwriting was legible for the first time in decades.

— allyson chiu, ajc, "Flute player performs while undergoing brain surgery," 2 Apr. 2018
The video and audio files police reviewed were legible at times and illegible at other times as the student was walking and talking and singing into his phone, police said.

— steven martinez, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Whitefish Bay Police: No crime committed in alleged middle school threat," 16 Feb. 2018
In sorting through the images, the company considers issues such as whether cameras have misfired and whether license plates are legible.

— orlando sentinel, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Court considers handling of red-light camera citations," 7 Feb. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of legible

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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legible Synonyms

LEGIBLE Defined for English Language Learners

legible

adjective

Definition of legible for English Language Learners

: capable of being read : clear enough to be read

LEGIBLE Defined for Kids

legible

adjective leg·i·ble \ ˈle-jə-bəl \

Definition of legible for Students

: clear enough to be read

legible writing

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legibly

\-blē\ adverb

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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for legible Spanish Central: Translation of legible Nglish: Translation of legible for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of legible for Arabic speakers

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