repairable
Meaning
Able to be mended or restored to good condition.
Structure
Usage
The damage to the phone's screen was minor and thankfully repairable.
Not all types of fabric tears are easily repairable at home.
The mechanic confirmed that the engine fault was repairable, saving us the cost of a full replacement.
Etymology
The word 'repairable' is built upon the verb 'repair', which originates from the Latin reparare, a compound of re- ('again') and parare ('to make ready, prepare'). The literal sense of 'making ready again' perfectly captures the core meaning of restoration. The suffix -able, of Latin origin via French, is productively attached to verbs to form adjectives meaning 'capable of undergoing the action'. Thus, the logical construction of 'repairable' transparently conveys the state of an object being capable of being made ready or functional again through mending.
Analysis
- repair: From Latin reparare ('to restore'), via Old French. The functional role is the core verb meaning 'to fix'. - able: From Latin -abilis (adjective-forming suffix indicating capacity or worthiness). The functional role is a suffix meaning 'capable of being'.