determineable

Determineable is an English adjective meaning able to be determined, decided, or ascertained. The widely used modern spelling is determinable; determineable is a variant spelling that appears in some dictionaries and in older texts. In contemporary writing, determinable is preferred, while determineable is encountered mainly in historical sources or as a nonstandard form.

Etymology: The form derives from the verb determine plus the suffix -able. It ultimately traces to Latin determinare, meaning to decide, bound, or fix.

Usage and nuance: The term applies to facts, values, or outcomes that can be established from data, reasoning, or measurement. In philosophy, determinate and determinable carry related but distinct senses; determinable is often used for what can be fixed by further specification, while determinate can emphasize a fully fixed state. In general prose, the two spellings are largely interchangeable when the meaning is “capable of being determined.”

Examples: The exact date is determinable from archival records. The result is determineable only if the inputs are complete. In technical writing, determinable is typically preferred for clarity and consistency, while determineable may appear in historical or less formal contexts.

See also: determinable, determinate, determination.