doable
UK[ˈduː.ə.bəl]US[ˈduː.ə.bəl]
adj
able to be done or achieved; possible or practical.
Morpheme Breakdown
do
able
do
to act, perform, cause
able
capable of, fit for, tending to
Etymology
the word 'doable' is a straightforward english formation, combining the native germanic verb 'do' with the latinate adjective suffix '-able'. the verb 'do' originates from the proto-indo-european root dʰeh₁-, meaning 'to put, place, set', which evolved into a broad sense of performing an action. the suffix '-able' entered english via old french from the latin '-abilis', used to create adjectives expressing capacity or susceptibility. thus, the literal construction 'capable of being done' perfectly captures the modern meaning of something feasible or practicable, showcasing english's hybrid capacity to blend its germanic and romance linguistic inheritances.
Analysis
Structure: do + able
- do: from old english 'dōn', meaning 'to act, perform, cause'. functional role: verbal root.
- able: from latin '-abilis', a suffix forming adjectives meaning 'capable of, fit for, tending to'. functional role: adjective-forming suffix.
Examples
the project is challenging but doable within the given timeframe.
she broke the task down into a series of doable steps.
with our current resources, a complete redesign is simply not doable.