Meaning & use
the suffix -ible
Last updated
Meanings
suffix
Added to verbs to form adjectives meaning 'able to be done' or 'fit to be done'.
Grammar: It attaches to a verb stem, not to a whole word: visible comes from the verb 'see' in Latin, not from an English verb.
Patterns
- verb + ible
- ible + noun
The word 'visible' means 'able to be seen'.
If something is 'edible', it is fit to be eaten.
The label 'flexible' describes something that can be bent.
suffix
Used in adjectives that describe a quality or tendency rather than ability.
Grammar: Some -ible adjectives are not passive; they describe a state or feeling, like 'sensible' or 'horrible'.
Patterns
- ible adjective
A 'sensible' person shows good judgment.
The movie was so 'horrible' that we left early.
His 'terrible' handwriting is hard to read.
Common combinations
- -ible adjective
- 'Possible' is a common -ible adjective.
- ible vs -able
- Both suffixes mean 'able to be', but -able is more productive in modern English.
- words ending in -ible
- Visible, edible, flexible, and sensible all end in -ible.
Synonyms and how they differ
- -able
- The most common variant; it often attaches to native English verbs (readable, washable), while -ible mostly appears in words borrowed from Latin.
Commonly confused: the suffix -ible or -able?
the suffix -ible vs -able
Both form adjectives meaning 'able to be', but -able is far more common and can be added to many English verbs, while -ible is fixed in a limited set of words.
Practice
Which sentence uses a word with the suffix -ible correctly?
Choose one answer.
The correct adjective is 'edible', meaning 'fit to be eaten'. 'Eatible' and 'edable' are not standard spellings, and 'edibled' is not a word.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “the suffix -ible”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.