fühlbare

Fühlbare is the feminine singular form of the German adjective fühlbar, meaning capable of being felt or perceived by the senses. The base verb fühlen (to feel) combines with the suffix -bar to form an adjective that denotes perceptibility or tangibility. In practice, fühlen is used for physical sensation, while fühlbar extends to things that can be sensed or detected, sometimes even beyond direct touch.

Usage and nuances: Fühlbar describes properties, phenomena, or changes that can be experienced through sensation. It is common in everyday language as well as in technical or scientific contexts to emphasize perceptibility. Examples include "eine fühlbare Veränderung" (a perceptible change), "fühlbare Textur" (tangible texture), or "fühlbare Unterschiede" (discernible differences). The term can carry both literal tactile meaning and figurative sense, such as a clearly noticeable trend or effect.

Inflection and grammar: The form fühlbare appears in the feminine singular nominative and accusative when used with the definite article, as in "die fühlbare Eigenschaft," and in other contexts with appropriate endings (e.g., "eine fühlbare Eigenschaft"). Plural forms are "fühlbare Eigenschaften" after an indefinite determiner, with standard German adjective endings varying by case and article.

Related terms: Synonyms include tastbar and spürbar, while antonyms include unsichtbar and unfühlbar. In translation, fühlbar is often rendered as "perceptible" or "tangible" in English.

See also: perception, tactile sensation, sensory perception, qualitative properties.