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

Egyptologists add context beyond guidebook facts, translating dynasties, iconography, and political intrigue into something legible on the ground. — Condé Nast Traveler, 25 June 2026

Modernization, in this context, means making the system legible again, so behavior can be understood and governed with confidence. — Slavik Zorin, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026

The real work of nonfiction, and of profile writing especially, is in making a series of arbitrary and disconnected events legible. — Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 22 June 2026

The Congress wanted an official, legible document. — Amy Tikkanen Britannica Editors June 22, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 June 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