locatable

Locatable is an adjective meaning capable of being located, found, or traced. It describes objects, data, or entities whose position, origin, or identity can be determined through observation, measurement, or analysis.

Etymology traces locatable to locate, from Latin locus meaning “place,” with the English suffix -able to indicate capability. The term thus conveys the potential to identify a position or source.

In everyday use, locatable describes physical items that can be found with aid of a search or tracking device. In technology, it often refers to devices or data that reveal their position through GPS, Wi‑Fi triangulation, RFID, or other location services. For example, a lost phone may be described as locatable via a built‑in find‑my‑phone feature, while a shipment equipped with a tracking tag remains locatable throughout transit.

Locatability also appears in discussions of data privacy and security, where location information can be sensitive. Systems or datasets described as locatable may raise concerns about profiling, surveillance, or unauthorized tracking if location data are exposed or improperly managed.

See also: locate, location, geolocation, location-based services, tracking.