messbare

Messbare is the attributive form of the German adjective messbar, meaning capable of being measured. It is commonly used to describe quantities, properties, or phenomena whose values can be determined through observation or measurement using defined methods and units. The word is derived from messen, “to measure,” with the suffix -bar, which marks feasibility or possibility.

Usage and scope: In science, engineering and everyday language, messbare Größen (measurable quantities) include length, mass, temperature, and time, provided a standard unit and instrument are available. Some phenomena are inherently difficult to measure or not yet measurable, described as unmessbar or nicht messbar. The adjective appears in attributive position as messbare, messbare Größen, messbare Eigenschaften, depending on the gender and number of the noun.

Measurement theory and context: Measurability interacts with concepts such as precision, accuracy, and uncertainty. A quantity may be physically well-defined but practically unmeasurable due to instrumental limits or fundamental issues. In data science, messbare Merkmale or messbare Variablen refer to features that can be empirically observed or recorded. The distinction between measurable and non-measurable informs experimental design, data collection, and model validation.

Examples: Die Länge ist messbar in Zentimetern. Die Temperatur ist eine messbare Größe in diesem Experiment. Es wurden messbare Größen wie Druck und Volumen ermittelt.

See also: Messung, Messgröße, Messinstrumente, Messunsicherheit, Nicht messbar.