Word of the Day
: November 8, 2007fungible
playWhat It Means
1 : being of such a nature that one part or quantity may be replaced by another equal part or quantity in the satisfaction of an obligation
2 : interchangeable
3 : flexible
fungible in Context
Jessica believes her unique skill set makes her an indispensable member of the company rather than just one of many fungible employees.
Did You Know?
"Fungible" -- which derives from the Latin verb "fungi," meaning "to perform" (no relation to the noun "fungus" and its plural "fungi") -- is a word that often shows up in legal contexts. Something fungible can be exchanged for something else of the same kind. For example, we could say "oil is a fungible commodity." That means that when a purchaser is expecting a delivery of oil, any oil of the stipulated quantity and quality will usually do. Another example of something fungible is cash. It doesn't matter what twenty dollar bill you get -- it's still worth the same amount as any other twenty dollar bill. In contrast, something like a painting isn't fungible; a purchaser would expect a specific, identifiable item to be delivered. In broader use, "fungible" can mean "interchangeable" or sometimes "changeable, fluid, or malleable."
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
