visible

1 of 2

adjective

vis·​i·​ble ˈvi-zə-bəl 

1

a

: capable of being seen

stars visible to the naked eye

b

: situated in the region of the electromagnetic spectrum perceptible to human vision

visible light

—used of radiation having a wavelength between about 400 nanometers and 700 nanometers

2

a

: exposed to view

the visible horizon

b(1)

: conspicuous

has played a highly visible role in the negotiations

(2)

: well-known

a highly visible politician

3

: capable of being discovered or perceived : recognizable

no visible means of support

4

: accessible sense 2

visible resources

5

: devised to keep a particular part or item always in full view or readily seen or referred to

a visible index

visibleness noun

visibly

ˈvi-zə-blē 

adverb

visible

2 of 2

noun

plural visibles

: a visible person or thing : someone or something that can be seen or perceived

He achieved important results in both these endeavors, which, being visible, have received ample notice as the visibles of history usually do …

—Barbara W. Tuchman

Synonyms

Adjective

• apparent
• observable
• seeable
• visual

Examples of visible in a Sentence

Adjective

The ship was not visible through the fog.

The ship was barely visible.

The patient showed no visible symptoms.

There was a visible change in his mood.

They played a highly visible role in the negotiations.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Many homes in the area are on large properties and are not visible from the street. —Caroline Petrow-Cohen, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2024

More than a century has passed since a total solar eclipse was visible from Arkansas, so many people in the state are going all out, said Kelly Farrell, chief of interpretation and program services at Arkansas State Parks. —Denise Chow, NBC News, 4 Apr. 2024

Check out this table for when the partial eclipse and totality are visible in each region or check by zip code here. —The Npr Network, NPR, 4 Apr. 2024

And there won’t be another total eclipse visible from the contiguous United States until 2045? —Chris Kelly, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2024

Even though there will be less visible light from the sun during a solar eclipse, the amount of UV radiation remains high. —Alyssa Hui, Verywell Health, 3 Apr. 2024

During the 2024 total solar eclipse the sky will darken dramatically and the sun's corona, which is the outer atmosphere, will become visible. —The Arizona Republic, 3 Apr. 2024

On Monday, April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will be visible from Mexico, the U.S. and Canada. —Luis Giraldo, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2024

Using high-speed and high-resolution cameras, capable of taking images in visible light and infrared light, the experiment will also look for asteroids that orbit within the sun’s glare. —Ashley Strickland, CNN, 3 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Middle French or Latin; Middle French, from Latin visibilis, from visus, past participle of vidēre to see

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1614, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing visible

• visible means of support
• sub-visible
• visible to the naked eye
• visible speech

Kids Definition

visible

adjective

vis·​i·​ble ˈviz-ə-bəl 

1

: capable of being seen

stars visible to the naked eye

2

: easily seen or understood : obvious

no visible means of support

visibly

-blē 

adverb

Medical Definition

visible

adjective

vis·​i·​ble ˈviz-ə-bəl 

1

: capable of being seen : perceptible to vision

particulates visible to the naked eye

2

: situated in the visible spectrum

visible light