OpenEtymology

notable

UKˈnəʊtəblUSˈnoʊtəbl

Meaning

1adj

important, interesting, or excellent and deserving attention and praise

2adj

easily noticed or worthy of attention

Structure

word structure
1
mark
+
2
able
capable of

Usage

she played a notable role in the negotiations.

the city has several notable examples of colonial architecture.

there was a notable increase in sales following the advertising campaign.

Etymology

the word 'notable' traces its lineage to latin 'notabilis', meaning 'remarkable' or 'worthy of note'. this adjective is formed from the verb 'notare', meaning 'to mark' or 'to note', itself derived from 'nota', a mark or sign. the suffix '-abilis' indicates capability or worthiness. thus, the literal construction 'capable of being marked' evolved through french into middle english, shifting from the concrete idea of leaving a physical mark to the abstract sense of being distinguished or worthy of attention. the underlying logic connects the act of marking something for identification to the quality that makes a person or thing stand out and be remembered.

Analysis

Structure
not (mark) + able (capable of)=notmark+ablecapable of

not (from latin 'nota', meaning a mark, sign, or note; functions as the root carrying the core semantic content of 'marking' or 'being known'). able (from latin '-abilis', a suffix forming adjectives meaning 'capable of, worthy of, or tending to'; functions as an adjectival suffix).

Notable Etymology, Origin & Meaning | wordDNA