Agotable

Agotable is an adjective in Spanish that describes something that can be exhausted or used up, referring to resources or supplies with a finite quantity. It is commonly applied to natural resources, energy reserves, or stock that can be depleted through consumption. In environmental and economic contexts, a resource is described as agotable when its availability diminishes with use, contrasting with renewable or inexhaustible resources. Example: los combustibles fósiles son recursos agotables.

Origin and usage: from agotar, with the suffix -able forming an adjective meaning capable of being exhausted. The term highlights limit, planning, and sustainability implications. Its antonyms include inagotable (inexhaustible) and terms related to renewables. In some contexts, agotable emphasizes the need to manage consumption and to substitute with renewable or more durable options.

Related terms and concepts: agotamiento (exhaustion), agotar (to exhaust), recursos agotables, recursos renovables, recursos no renovables. The word is commonly found in discussions of ecology, economics, and policy, where the distinction between agotables and renovables informs strategies for resource management, conservation, and long-term planning.