desiderable

Desiderable is an English adjective meaning capable of being desired or worthy of being desired; in modern English it is considered archaic or rare and is generally replaced by desirable.

The form appears in earlier texts and is often found in translations of Latin works or in legal or philosophical writing from the early modern period.

Etymology: desiderable derives from Middle English desiderable, from Latin desiderabilis meaning "worthy to be desired," from desiderare "to desire." The modern word desirable comes from the same root and has supplanted desiderable in everyday usage.

Usage: Today, desiderable is mainly encountered in historical or literary contexts. It retains the same basic sense as desirable but carries an archaic tone. Some dictionaries list it as a literary or seldom-used variant.

See also: desiderata, desirability, desirable, desire.