ible

ible is a suffix used in English to form adjectives meaning “able to be X” or “having the quality of X.” It is typically added to a stem to express capacity, feasibility, or suitability, as in visible, edible, credible, legible, divisible, and flexible. The suffix has Latin origins, coming from the form -ibilis, usually through Old French.

Etymology and formation: The -ible suffix is historically distinct from the closely related suffix -able. -ible derives from Latin -ibilis, while -able comes from Latin -abilis. In English, many words with -ible trace directly to Latin or French forms containing -ibilis, but spelling and usage have become conventional over time. There is no universal rule that always dictates when a word should take -ible versus -able; the choice often depends on the word’s etymology and its established spelling in standard usage.

Pronunciation and morphology: The -ible ending is typically pronounced as /-ɪbl/ or /-əbl/ at the end of a word, with variation across speakers. The -ibility noun form is used to name the quality or state, as in visibility from visible, or credibility from credible. Other related noun forms include -ability, as in possibility from possible or flexibility from flexible, reflecting similar but separate derivational paths.

Common examples and note: Common -ible words include visible, edible, audible, credible, illegible, legible, divisible, invincible, terrible, and feasible. While many -ible words share a Latin origin, English spelling preserves historical forms, so learners should consult dictionaries for conventional spellings.