The adjective 'workable' is a transparent Modern English compound formed from the native Germanic verb 'work' and the productive suffix '-able', which entered English via French from Latin. The core concept of 'work' originates from Proto-Indo-European werg- ("to do"), which evolved into a vast family of words related to action and energy, including Greek 'ergon' and English 'energy'. The suffix '-able' derives from Latin '-bilis', indicating capacity or worthiness. Thus, the literal morphemic logic "capable of being worked" evolved from the physical sense of a material being malleable to the modern abstract sense of a plan or idea being practical and feasible.

Structure: work (to labor, to function) + able (capable of, fit for) - 'work': From Old English 'weorc' (noun), 'wyrcan' (verb), meaning "something done, labor, action." Its functional role is the core semantic root. - 'able': From Latin '-abilis', a suffix forming adjectives meaning "capable of, fit for, tending to." Its functional role is a derivational suffix.