ascertainable
UK[ˌæsəˈteɪnəbl̩]US[ˌæsərˈteɪnəbəl]
adj
Able to be discovered or found out for certain.
Morpheme Breakdown
as
certain
able
as
to
certain
sure
able
capable of
Etymology
The word 'ascertainable' is built upon the foundation of 'certain', which originates from the Latin 'certus', meaning 'fixed, settled, sure'. The prefix 'as-' is an assimilated form of the Latin 'ad-' (meaning 'to'), attached to verbs to indicate direction or intensification, as seen in its earlier verb form 'ascertain' meaning 'to make certain'. The suffix '-able', from Latin '-abilis', denotes capability. Therefore, the literal morphemic logic is 'capable of being made sure or fixed'. Over time, this evolved from the active process of making sure to the passive modern abstract meaning describing a state of information that can be definitively discovered or confirmed.
Analysis
Structure: as (to) + certain (sure) + able (capable of)
as: Latin origin, a prefix meaning 'to, towards, near to', functioning as an intensifier.
certain: Latin origin (via Old French), meaning 'sure, fixed, settled', functioning as the core adjective.
able: Latin origin (via Old French), a suffix meaning 'capable of, fit for', functioning to form an adjective.
Examples
The exact cause of the failure was not immediately ascertainable.
The terms of the contract must be clear and ascertainable by both parties.
Through careful investigation, the facts of the case became ascertainable.