passível

Passível is a Portuguese adjective used to describe something that can receive or undergo something, i.e., susceptible, liable, or subject to. It is widely used in legal, administrative, and formal contexts to indicate that a person, act, or situation may be affected by a rule, decision, or circumstance. The word comes from Latin passibilis, sharing the sense of being able to suffer or experience.

Usage and common constructions: Passível is typically followed by de + noun or by an infinitive, to express what is possible or subject to that noun or action. Examples include: “A conduta é passível de punição,” meaning the conduct can be punished; “A decisão é passível de recurso,” meaning the decision can be appealed; and “Este contrato é passível de rescisão,” meaning the contract may be terminated. It can also appear in more general statements such as “O sistema é passível de falha,” indicating vulnerability to failure, though in some contexts “suscetível” or “propenso” might be preferred.

Nuances: Passível denotes a formal sense of liability or susceptibility, often tied to rules, penalties, or procedures. It contrasts with phrases indicating immunity or exclusion, such as “não passível de contestação” (not subject to contestation). The term is versatile across Portuguese-speaking legal and administrative language, as well as in everyday usage when describing things that may be affected by certain conditions.

See also: suscetibilidade, recurso, punição, sanção, contestação.