admissible
Meaning
allowed or acceptable, especially as evidence in a court of law.
having the right to be admitted to a place or to a group.
Structure
Usage
the judge ruled the defendant's prior statement was admissible as evidence.
only candidates with a master's degree are admissible for this research fellowship.
the argument, while emotionally charged, was not admissible in the philosophical debate.
Etymology
the word 'admissible' originates from the latin verb 'admittere', meaning 'to allow to enter, to let in', which is itself a compound of 'ad-' (to) and 'mittere' (to send, let go). the concept evolved from the literal act of sending something forward or allowing it entry into a physical space. through medieval latin 'admissibilis', it entered english in the early 17th century, primarily in legal contexts, to describe evidence or testimony that is worthy of being 'sent to' or received by the court for consideration. thus, the modern abstract meaning of 'acceptable or allowable' retains the core logic of something being permitted to enter a formal process or domain.
Analysis
ad- (latin prefix, meaning 'to, toward'); miss (latin root from 'mittere', meaning 'to send'); -ible (latin suffix, meaning 'capable of, fit for').