washable
Meaning
(of a material or item) able to be washed in water without being damaged.
Structure
Usage
The label says the jacket is machine washable.
It's practical to buy washable slipcovers for furniture if you have young children.
These new markers are water-based and produce washable ink.
Etymology
The word "washable" is a modern English compound formed by combining the native Germanic verb "wash" with the Latinate adjectival suffix "-able". The root "wash" originates from the Proto-Germanic watskan, which carries the fundamental sense of cleaning with water. The suffix "-able" entered English via Old French from the Latin -abilis, a productive suffix used to form adjectives expressing capacity or susceptibility. The fusion of these elements creates a transparent and logical meaning: an object possessing the inherent quality or capacity to undergo the action of washing. This pattern of attaching "-able" to verb roots is a highly productive method in English for creating adjectives that describe functional properties.
Analysis
- wash: From Old English wæscan, meaning "to wash, cleanse, bathe". Its functional role is the core verb root. - able: From Latin -abilis, a suffix forming adjectives meaning "capable of, fit for, tending to". Its functional role is a derivational suffix.