Doubtful vs Doubtable - What's the difference?
doubtful | doubtable |
Subject to, or causing doubt
or showing doubt, sceptical
Undecided or of uncertain outcome
(obsolete) Fearsome, dreadful.
*, Bk.XIV, Ch.vii:
*:‘With whom,’ seyde Sir Percivale, ‘shall I fyght?’ ‘With the moste douteful champion of the worlde.’
Improbable or unlikely
Suspicious, or of dubious character
Unclear or unreliable
*{{quote-book, year=1922, author=E.R. Eddison, title=The Worm Ouroboros
, passage=The pupils of her great eyes were large in the doubtful lamplight, swallowing their green fires in deep pools of mystery and darkness.}}
(uncommon) Capable of being doubted; doubtful; dubious; dubitable. See usage notes below.
* 1971 , L. J. Swingle, "On Reading Romantic Poetry," PMLA , vol. 86, no. 5, p. 976,
(obsolete) Fearsome; redoubtable.
In obsolete terms the difference between doubtful and doubtable
is that doubtful is fearsome, dreadful while doubtable is fearsome; redoubtable.As adjectives the difference between doubtful and doubtable
is that doubtful is subject to, or causing doubt while doubtable is capable of being doubted; doubtful; dubious; dubitable. See usage notes below.doubtful
English
Alternative forms
* doubtfull (archaic)Adjective
(en adjective)doubtable
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- Descartes adopts the tool of a radical skepticism, submitting to question established beliefs, exposing them to the test of doubt, breaking them down when they prove doubtable .