Usage notes

* Originally used only on French and Latin words, like separable. Over time -able'' was added to stems of English verbs ending in ''-ate , such as educable. Finally, due to probable confusion with the word able, it was used to form adjectives from all sorts of verbs, nouns, and even verb phrases, such as kickable, get-at-able, and clubbable. * While a terminal silent -e'' is usually dropped when adding a suffix beginning with a vowel, which is followed by -able''', the ''-e'' is ''not'' dropped when adding '''-able if the root ends with a soft ''-ce'' and ''-ge , as in (m) and (m), so that these are not misinterpreted as hard ‘c’ or ‘g’ sounds. This same rule is used for (m), as in (m). * As when adding the suffix (m), a final consonant of a root should be doubled if the preceding vowel is short and (in British English) stressed. * The form (m) has the same senses and pronunciation. The choice between the two is somewhat idiosyncratic, but in general, rather than (m)), but this recommendation has generally not been followed. * A number of adjectives in , and so on. * Traditionally, verbs ending in (m) drop this suffix before adding , and so on, but (m), because relate'' is ''re-'' + ''-late'', not ''rel-'' + ''-ate''. Logically one should therefore say ''rotable to mean "able to be rotated", but (m) has become accepted. * There are cases where a word with un- -able'' is much more common than one with just ''-able'', such as ''unbreakable'', ''unsinkable'', and ''untouchable .

Usage notes

*This use of -able'' its related form ''-ible are not productive in English. Confusion may arise from mistaking nouns ending with these suffixes as being forms derived from the adjectival suffixes mentioned in Etymology 1 above.