Comprehensible

Comprehensible is an adjective describing something that can be understood or grasped. It is commonly used for language, explanations, texts, or media that convey information clearly and accessibly. A comprehensible statement presents ideas with coherent structure, appropriate vocabulary, and sufficient context for the intended reader or listener.

Etymology and sense: The term derives from the Latin com- “together” or “with” and prehendere “to seize,” via Old French into Early Modern English. The suffix -ible marks the word as capable of being; thus, comprehensible literally means able to be grasped or seized by the mind. In everyday use, it contrasts with incomprehensible.

Usage and context: Comprehensibility depends on both the presentation and the audience’s prior knowledge. It is a central concern in education, communications, and design, influencing how effectively information is conveyed. In linguistics, comprehensible input is a concept describing language input that learners can understand well enough to extract meaning and patterns from, a factor thought to facilitate acquisition. In information design and user interfaces, measures of readability, layout, typography, and organization all contribute to overall comprehensibility.

Related terms and nuance: Comprehensible is closely related to intelligible, clear, and understandable. The noun form comprehensibility denotes the quality or state of being comprehensible, while readability and clarity describe attributes that contribute to it. Because comprehensibility can vary with audience, materials may be designed to enhance it for specific groups, such as novices or non-native speakers.