Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
Definition: Usable |
UsableAdjective1. Able to be put to use; "usable byproducts". 2. Fit or ready for use or service; "the toaster was still functional even after being dropped"; "the lawnmower is a bit rusty but still usable"; "an operational aircraft"; "the dishwasher is now in working order". 3. Convenient for use or disposal; "the house is available after July 1"; "2000 square feet of usable office space". Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "usable" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1889. (references) |
Synonyms: UsableSynonyms: available (adj), functional (adj), in working order(p) (adj), operable (adj), operational (adj), useable (adj). (additional references) |
Crosswords: Usable |
| English words defined with "usable": aerogenerator, all-weather, available ♦ bad ♦ Clusiaceae ♦ develop ♦ endure ♦ family Clusiaceae, family Guttiferae, formatted capacity, functional ♦ Guttiferae ♦ hold out ♦ impracticability, impracticableness, in condition ♦ Miohippus ♦ operable ♦ practicability, practicable, practicableness ♦ refine ♦ spoiled, spoilt, sponge, St John's wort family ♦ useable, utility, utility-grade ♦ wear, wedge, wind generator, windmill. (references) |
| Specialty definitions using "usable": usable life, usable width. (references) |
| Non-English Usage: "Usable" is also a word in the following language with English translations in parentheses. Spanish (usable, wearable). |
| Domain | Usage | |
Screenplays | God, that phrase is never gonna be usable again, is it (Buffy the Vampire Slayer; writing credit: Doreen Spicer) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
| Domain | Title | ||
Books |
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Theater & Movies | |||
High Tech |
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Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit |  | Negro farmer and blacksmith shop workman look over much-repaired wagon wheels to see if they can be made usable again. Depew, Oklahoma. Credit: Library of Congress. |
Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits. | |||
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| "Old trunk by the river" by Gilbert Tremblay Commentary: "Pict taken with very slow shutter speed very strange textures and effect... more of an artistic experimentation then a stock photo but usable in a design way I guess..." |
Source: photographs selected by the editor, with permission from the photographers. |
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Health | If this method is found to be medically feasible and ethically acceptable, the time a patient must wait for a usable kidney could be greatly reduced. (references) | |
Therefore, a considerable amount of potentially usable donor tissue is either not being harvested or, if harvested, goes unused because of this bias. (references) | ||
Given both the importance and the complexity of the issues involved in assessing the evidence, a woman should have access to the best possible relevant information regarding both benefits and risks, presented in an understandable and usable form. Information should be developed for women in their forties regarding potential benefits and risks to be provided to enable each woman to make the most appropriate decision. (references) | ||
Business | As a result, often only 45-50% of the harvest is usable. (references) | |
Most waste usable as an energy source in the Czech Republic is municipal waste and sewage sludge. (references) | ||
At the Polish border, no one asks whether the equipment - often in pieces - is in usable condition. (references) | ||
Economic History | Comoros | Some villages are not linked to the main road system or at best are connected by tracks usable only by four-wheel-drive vehicles. (references) |
Kazakhstan | There are minimal restrictions on converting or transferring funds associated with an investment into a freely usable currency at a legal market clearing rate. (references) | |
Croatia | The process of compensation (at fair market value on the date of the expropriation, in a usable currency that is to be freely transferable) is fully described under this article. (references) | |
Trade | Switzerland | The Government of Switzerland regulates the export, import, and transit of goods usable for civilian and military purposes and is an active member of all major export control regimes, including the Wassenaar Arrangement (WA), the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), the Nuclear Supplier Group (NSG), the Australia Group (AG) and the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). (references) |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| "Usable" is generally used as an adjective (general or positive) -- approximately 97.45% of the time. "Usable" is used about 314 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Adjective (general or positive) | 97.45% | 306 | 16,534 |
| Noun (proper) | 2.55% | 8 | 124,375 |
| Total | 100.00% | 314 | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
Expressions using "usable": classical maximum usable frequency ♦ freely usable currency ♦ lowest usable frequency ♦ maximum usable flow ♦ usable bit rate ♦ usable cycle ♦ usable distance ♦ usable field strength ♦ usable input range ♦ usable life ♦ usable part ♦ usable power flux density ♦ usable width. Additional references. | |
| Hyphenated Usage | |
Beginning with "usable": usable-film. | |
Ending with "usable": computer-usable, re-usable. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Language | Translations for "usable"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | |
Albanian | praktik (businesslike, commodious, down to earth, handy, hardheaded, matter of fact, practical, pragmatic), i përshtatshëm për përdorim, i përdorshëm (available, expendable, handy, practicable, practical, purposive). (various references) | |
Arabic | قابل للإستعمال (applicable, serviceable), صالح للإستعمال. (various references) | |
Bulgarian | употребим (employable), използваем (effective, operable, practicable, workable). (various references) | |
Chinese | 能用 (useable), 使得 (doable, feasible, to cause, to make, workable). (various references) | |
Czech | upotřebitelný (applicable), použitelný (applicable, available, disposable, employable). (various references) | |
Danish | udnyttet landbrugsareal (agricultural area in use, agricultural area utilized for farming, agriculturally used area, usable agricultural area, utilised agricultural area, utilized agricultural area), ULA (agricultural area in use, usable agricultural area, utilized agricultural area), fritomsættelig valuta (freely usable currency), bredde mellem lister eller ægkanter (usable width, width between lists or selvedges), brugbar feltstyrke (usable field strength, usable power flux density), brugbart indgangsområde (usable input range), brugbart output-signal (usable output signal), brugbart spektrum (usable spectrum), brugbart udgangs-signal (usable output signal), brugstid (bench life, pot life, pot-life, usable life, working life), den maksimale vandføring,som et vandkraftanlæg kan udnytte kontinuerligt (maximum discharge, maximum operating flow, maximum throughput, maximum usable flow, plant capacity flow, plant capacity flow of a hydro installation), anvendelig bithastighed (usable bit rate), frit anvendelig valuta (freely usable currency), kantstenstillæg (kerb, through travelled way, usable width), klassisk MUF (classical maximum usable frequency, classical MUF, junction frequency), laveste brugbare frekvens (lowest usable frequency, lowest useful high frequency), limens flydetid (bench life, pot life, usable life, working life), nytteflanke (usable flank), nyttelaengde af spor (usable length of track), nyttig laengde (usable length, working length), særskilt anvendelig enhed (individual item usable in itself), forbindelsesfrekvens (classical maximum usable frequency, classical MUF, junction frequency). (various references) | |
Dutch | laagste bruikbare hoge frequentie (lowest usable frequency, lowest useful high frequency), bruikbaar ingangsbereik (usable input range), bruikbaar spectrum (usable spectrum), bruikbaar stuk (usable part), bruikbaar uitgangssignaal (usable output signal), bruikbaarheidsduur (bench life, pot life, usable life, working life), bruikbare brandstof (usable fuel), bruikbare flank (usable flank), bruikbare veldsterkte (usable field strength, usable power flux density), effectieve bitsnelheid (usable bit rate), JF (classical maximum usable frequency, classical MUF, junction frequency), afzonderlijk te gebruiken deel (individual item usable in itself), klassieke MUF (classical maximum usable frequency, classical MUF, junction frequency), vrij te gebruiken valuta (freely usable currency), LUF (lowest usable frequency, lowest useful high frequency), maximaal te verwerken debiet (maximum discharge, maximum operating flow, maximum throughput, maximum usable flow, plant capacity flow, plant capacity flow of a hydro installation), nuttige lengte (usable length, working length), nuttige spoorlengte (usable length of track), OC (agricultural area in use, usable agricultural area, utilized agricultural area), OCG (agricultural area in use, usable agricultural area, utilized agricultural area), oppervlakte cultuurgrond (agricultural area in use, agricultural area utilized for farming, agriculturally used area, area under crop, area under cultivation, crop area, cultivated area, land under crop, total arable area, total crop area, total cultivated area, usable agricultural area, utilised agricultural area, utilized agricultural area), profiel van vrije ruimte (clearance, through travelled way, usable width), slikvermogen van een waterkrachtinstallatie (maximum discharge, maximum operating flow, maximum throughput, maximum usable flow, plant capacity flow, plant capacity flow of a hydro installation), tijdsrendement (duty cycle, duty factor, usable cycle), junctiefrequentie (classical maximum usable frequency, classical maximum useable frequency, classical MUF, junction frequency, the frequency at which the high-and low-angle rays merge into a single ray). (various references) | |
Finnish | työstettävyysaika (bench life, pot life, usable life, working life), suurin mahdollinen käyttötaajuus (classical maximum usable frequency, classical MUF, junction frequency), suurin käyttövirtaama (maximum discharge, maximum operating flow, maximum throughput, maximum usable flow, plant capacity flow, plant capacity flow of a hydro installation), rakennusvirtaama (maximum discharge, maximum operating flow, maximum throughput, maximum usable flow, plant capacity flow, plant capacity flow of a hydro installation), pienin käypä taajuus (lowest usable frequency, lowest useful high frequency), LUF (lowest usable frequency, lowest useful high frequency), klassinen MUF-taajuus (classical maximum usable frequency, classical MUF, junction frequency), kankaan leveys ilman hulpioita (usable width, width between lists or selvedges), käyttökelpoisen ottosignaalin vaihtelualue (usable input range), käyttökelpoinen spektri (usable spectrum), käyttökelpoinen lähtösignaali (usable output signal), käyttökelpoinen kentänvoimakkuus (usable field strength, usable power flux density), käyttökelpoinen bittinopeus (usable bit rate), käyttöaika (bench life, pot life, refractory life, usable life, utilisation, utilization, working life), hyötyleveys (usable width, width between lists or selvedges). (various references) | |
French | utilisable. (various references) | |
German | brauchbar (convenient, decent, practicable, practical, reasonable, serviceable, usably, useful, viable, workable). (various references) | |
Greek | χρησιμοποιήσιμοσ (employable, utilizable), χρησιμοποιήσιμος, χρήσιμοσ (helpful, practical, serviceable, useful). (various references) | |
Hebrew | שמיש (serviceable), בר שמוש (serviceable), נתן לשמוש (serviceable). (various references) | |
Hungarian | használható (feasible, practicable, serviceable, subservient, useful). (various references) | |
Indonesian | dapat dipakai (applicable). (various references) | |
Italian | usabile (serviceable). (various references) | |
Japanese Kanji | 使い物 (bribe, gift, present, usable article). (various references) | |
Japanese Katakana | つかいもの (bribe, gift, present, usable article). (various references) | |
Korean | 쓸모 있는 (instrumental, useable). (various references) | |
Manx | yn-ymmydey (employable, utilizable). (various references) | |
Pig Latin | ableusay.(various references) | |
Portuguese | utilizável (exploitable, harvestable, utilisable, utilizable), usável. (various references) | |
Romanian | utilizabil (available, serviceable, utilizable), care se poate folosit. (various references) | |
Russian | удобный (carriageable, comfortable, comfy, commodious, convenient, cosy, easy, expedite, habitable, handy, snug), годный к употреблению, практичный (businesslike, canny, hardheaded, practical, shrewd), пригодный (available, equal, serviceable, suitable, useable, useful). (various references) | |
Serbo-Croatian | upotrebljiv (employable). (various references) | |
Spanish | utilizable (practicable, reclaimable, wearable). (various references) | |
Swedish | användbar (available, fit for use, serviceable, useful, versatile, wearable). (various references) | |
Turkish | kullanılabilir (employable, useable, utilizable), kullanılır (consumable, useable). (various references) | |
Ukrainian | практичний (applicative, applied, canny, economic, hard bitten, hard-wearing, practical, pragmatic, pragmatical), придатний для вживання. (various references) | |
Vietnamese | sử dụng được, có thể dùng được (applicable, employable). (various references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references. | ||
| Language | Period | Translations |
| Latin | 500 BCE-Modern | utilis. (various references) |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
Derivations | |
Words beginning with "usable": usableness, usablenesses. (additional references) | |
Words ending with "usable": abusable, amusable, causable, excusable, focusable, inexcusable, irrecusable, nonreusable, reusable, transfusable, unusable. (additional references) | |
Words containing "usable": excusableness, excusablenesses, inexcusableness, inexcusablenesses, nonreusables. (additional references) | |
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"Usable" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: assable, ausable, Ausgabe, dusable, Eusebe, Husebye, Ossobleh, Ucabel, Ucablis, Udale, Zusanli. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| # of Phoneme Matches | Pronunciation | Word(s) rhyming with "usable" (pronounced yuw"zubul) |
| 7 | y uw" z u b u l | inexcusable, excusable, fusible, unusable. |
| 6 | -uw" z u b u l | reusable. |
| 5 | -z u b u l | indivisible, infeasible, advisable, analyzable, disposable, divisible, exercisable, feasible, implausible, inadvisable, invisible, plausible, realizable, recognizable, sizable, sizeable, unfeasible, unrecognizable, visible. |
| 4 | -u b u l | incurable, indefatigable, indefensible, indefinable, indelible, indescribable, indestructible, indispensable, indisputable, indistinguishable, indomitable, inedible, ineffable, ineligible, inequitable, inescapable, inevitable, inexhaustible, inexorable, inexplicable, infallible, inflammable, inflatable, acceptable, accessible, abominable, accountable, achievable, actionable, adaptable, addressable, adjustable, admirable, admissible, adoptable, adorable, affable, affordable, agreeable, allowable, amenable, amendable, amiable, amicable, answerable, appealable, applicable, appreciable, approachable, approvable, arable, arguable, attainable, attributable, audible, available, avoidable, bankable, bearable, believable, billable, biodegradable, breakable, buildable, burnable, callable, cannibal, capable, changeable, chargeable, charitable, classifiable, collapsible, collectible, Combinable, comfortable, commendable, communicable, comparable, compatible, compensable, comprehensible, conceivable, confirmable, considerable, constable, consumable, contemptible, contestable, controllable, convertible, copyrightable, countable, credible, creditable, crucible, culpable, curable, debatable, deductible, defensible, definable, degradable, delectable, deliverable, demonstrable, dependable, deplorable, deployable, depreciable, describable, desirable, despicable, detachable, detectable, determinable, developable, digestible, disagreeable, discernible, discountable, discoverable, dishonorable, dispensable, disreputable, distinguishable, doable, drinkable, drivable, durable, eatable, edible, electable, eligible, Embraceable, employable, enforceable, enjoyable, enviable, equable, equitable, erasable, erodible, estimable, exchangeable, excitable, excludable, execrable, expandable, expendable, explainable, exportable, extendable, extendible, fallible, fashionable, fathomable, favorable, fissionable, fixable, flammable, flexible, forcible, foreseeable, forfeitable, forgettable, forgivable, formidable, fungible, gullible, habitable, harvestable, heritable, hon, honorable, horrible, hospitable, identifiable, illegible, imaginable, imitable, immiscible, immovable, immutable, impassable, impeachable, impeccable, impenetrable, imperceptible, impermissible, implacable, implantable, imponderable, impossible, impracticable, impregnable, impressionable, improbable, inaccessible, inadmissible, inalienable, inapplicable, inaudible, incalculable, incapable, incomparable, incompatible, incomprehensible, incompressible, inconceivable, incontrovertible, incorrigible, incredible, soluble, solvable, spendable, submersible, suggestible, suitable, supportable, survivable, susceptible, sustainable, syllable, talkable, tangible, taxable, teachable, tenable, terrible, inflexible, inheritable, inhospitable, inimitable, injectable, innumerable, inoperable, insatiable, inscrutable, inseparable, insoluble, insufferable, insupportable, insurmountable, intangible, intelligible, interchangeable, interminable, interruptible, intolerable, intractable, invaluable, investable, invincible, inviolable, invulnerable, irascible, irreconcilable, irrefutable, irremediable, irreparable, irreplaceable, irrepressible, irresistible, irresponsible, irreversible, irrevocable, irritable, issuable, justifiable, knowledgeable, lamentable, laudable, laughable, leasable, legible, liable, likable, likeable, livable, lovable, malleable, manageable, mandible, maneuverable, marketable, measurable, memorable, microwavable, miscible, miserable, moldable, movable, navigable, negligible, negotiable, noncallable, nonconvertible, nondeductible, nondurable, nonrefundable, nonrenewable, nontaxable, nontransferable, notable, noticeable, objectionable, observable, obtainable, operable, ostensible, palatable, palpable, parable, passable, patentable, payable, peaceable, perceptible, perishable, permeable, permissible, personable, persuadable, pitiable, pleasurable, pliable, portable, possible, potable, practicable, predictable, preferable, presentable, preventable, printable, probable, profitable, programmable, prosecutable, provable, punishable, questionable, quotable, reachable, readable, reasonable, receivable, rechargeable, recordable, recoverable, recyclable, redeemable, redoubtable, reducible, refundable, regrettable, reliable, remarkable, removable, renewable, rentable, repairable, repayable, repeatable, replaceable, reportable, reprehensible, reputable, resealable, resettable, respectable, responsible, retractable, returnable, reversible, revocable, ridable, salable, saleable, salvageable, seasonable, sensible, serviceable, sociable, tolerable, traceable, tractable, tradable, tradeable, trainable, transferable, transferrable, transmittable, transportable, treatable, tunable, typeable, unacceptable, unaccountable, unaffordable, unalienable, unalterable, unanswerable, unassailable, unattainable, unavailable, unavoidable, unbearable, unbeatable, unbelievable, unbuildable, uncollectible, uncomfortable, unconscionable, uncontrollable, undeniable, understandable, undesirable, undetectable, unelectable, unemployable, unenforceable, unenviable, unexplainable, unfashionable, unfathomable, unfavorable, unflappable, unforeseeable, unforgettable, unforgivable, ungovernable, unimaginable, unimpeachable, uninhabitable, uninsurable, unintelligible, unjustifiable, unknowable, unlivable, unmanageable, unmentionable, unmistakable, unobtainable, unpalatable, unpredictable, unprintable, unprofitable, unquestionable, unreachable, unreadable, unreasonable, unreliable, unremarkable, unsalable, unshakable, unsinkable, unsolvable, unspeakable, unstoppable, unsuitable, unsupportable, unsustainable, untenable, unthinkable, untouchable, untraceable, unverifiable, unwinnable, unworkable, variable, vegetable, venerable, verifiable, veritable, viable, voluble, vulnerable, washable, wearable, winnable, workable. |
| 3 | -b u l | able, amble, assemble, babble, Babel, bauble, bible, bramble, bubble, Bumble, cable, cobble, coble, corbel, crumble, cymbal, dabble, Dibble, disable, disassemble, dissemble, double, Drabble, dribble, enable, enfeeble, ennoble, ensemble, fable, feeble, foible, fumble, gable, gamble, Garble, global, gobble, Gribble, grumble, hardscrabble, herbal, hobble, humble, ignoble, immeasurable, immobile, squabble, Stabile, stable, stubble, stumble, symbol, table, intertribal, jumble, kibble, label, libel, marble, mislabel, mobile, mumble, nibble, nimble, noble, nonverbal, pebble, preamble, psychobabble, quibble, rabble, ramble, reassemble, rebel, redouble, relabel, resemble, Roble, rouble, roundtable, rubble, Ruble, rumble, sable, Scrabble, scramble, scribble, shamble, Sibyl, thimble, timetable, treble, tremble, tribal, trouble, tubal, tumble, turntable, umbel, unable, unscramble, unserviceable, unstable, valuable, verbal, wamble, wobble. |
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits. | ||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
Direct Anagrams: suable. | |
| Words within the letters "a-b-e-l-s-u" | |
-1 letter: ables, abuse, bales, beaus, blase, blues, lubes, sable. | |
-2 letters: able, albs, ales, bale, bals, base, beau, bels, blae, blue, labs, lase, leas, lube, lues, sabe, sale, saul, seal, slab, slub, slue, suba. | |
-3 letters: abs, alb, ale, als, bal, bas, bel, bus, eau, els, lab, las, lea, leu, sab, sae, sal, sau, sea, sel. | |
| Words containing the letters "a-b-e-l-s-u" | |
+1 letter: bascule, baubles, belauds, belugas, bubales, nebulas, sublate, subsale, useable, useably. | |
+2 letters: abluents, absolute, abusable, albumens, albumose, amusable, arbuscle, audibles, ballutes, baluster, barbules, bascules, bisexual, bluecaps, bluejays, bluesman, bulkages, bullaces, causable, chasuble, durables, gustable, issuable, reusable, rubellas, rubeolas, rustable, sabulose, slugabed, squabble, sublated, sublates, sublease, subpanel, subsales, subscale, subulate, suitable, summable, surfable, tableaus, unstable, unusable. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
| 1. Definition 2. Synonyms 3. Crosswords 4. Usage: Modern | 5. Usage: Commercial 6. Images: Photo Album 7. Images: Digital Art 8. Quotations: Non-fiction | 9. Usage Frequency 10. Expressions 11. Expressions: Internet 12. Translations: Modern | 13. Translations: Ancient 14. Derivations 15. Rhymes 16. Anagrams | 17. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
