Disponible

Disponible is an adjective found in several Romance languages, notably French and Spanish, that denotes accessibility or readiness. It is used to describe someone who is free, a resource that can be used, or an item that can be obtained. The nuance can vary with context, ranging from personal availability to the presence of stock or a usable option.

Etymology and related terms: Disponible comes from Latin disponibilis, formed from disponere “to arrange, place apart.” Through evolution in Romance languages, the word acquired the sense of something that is at one’s disposal or ready for use. Related nouns include disponibilité in French and disponibilidad in Spanish, referring to the state or period of availability.

Usage in French: In French, disponible can describe a person who is not occupied, a time slot that is free, or a resource that can be accessed. It also appears in financial contexts to denote funds that are usable, as in fonds disponibles. Examples include un rendez-vous disponible, un poste disponible, or des fonds disponibles.

Usage in Spanish: In Spanish, disponible similarly means ready to be used or obtainable. It applies to spaces (una habitación disponible), goods (productos disponibles), or people who are not committed (una persona disponible). In business and finance, disponible can describe liquid assets or available credit, as in liquidez disponible or fondos disponibles.

In technology and everyday use: Disponible is commonly seen in user interfaces to indicate a feature or option that can be activated immediately, and in service-level discussions to denote expected operational availability.

See also: availability, in stock, open, ready for use.