| The American Heritage® Book of English Usage. |
A Practical and Authoritative Guide to Contemporary English. 1996.
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8. Word Formation: Plurals, Possessives, Affixes, and Compounds
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| § 2. -able |
| The suffix -able, which forms adjectives, comes from the Latin suffix -abilis, meaning “capable or worthy of.” Thus a likable person is one who is capable of or worthy of being liked. The suffix -ible is closely related to -able and has the same meaning, as in flexible. Since they sound exactly alike, it is important to consult your dictionary when spelling words that end in this suffix. | 1 |
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| The American Heritage® Book of English Usage. Copyright © 1996 by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
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