practicable

English

Alternative forms

• practiceable
• practisable, practiseable (rare)

Etymology

From Latin prācticābilis, partly modelled on Middle French praticable. By surface analysis, practice (verb) +‎ -able.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpɹæktɪkəbəl/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Adjective

practicable (not comparable)

1. Capable of being accomplished; feasible.
   • 1986, Fred Matheny, Solo Cycling: How to Train and Race Bicycle Time Trials, page 136:

     The law in most states says that cyclists must ride as far to the right as is practicable.

   • 2010 September 13, Publishers Weekly, Gaza in Crisis: Reflections on Israel's War Against the Palestinians‎^[1]:

     This sober and unflinching analysis should be read and reckoned with by anyone concerned with practicable change in the long-suffering region.

2. Serving a useful function; useful, functional or handy.
3. Available for use; accessible or employable.
   • 1897, Richard Marsh, The Beetle:

     I glanced up, — there was no trap door which led to the roof. No practicable nook or cranny, in which a living being could lie concealed, was anywhere at hand.

Usage notes

Example of use contrasted with practical:

• "While others might agree that it was practical to rewrite the entire section, it was not truly practicable given other considerations."

Synonyms

• (capable of being accomplished): feasible, workable
• usable

Antonyms

• impracticable

Derived terms

• practicability
• practicableness
• practicably

Related terms

• practical

Translations

capable of being accomplished; feasible

• Bulgarian: изпълним (bg) (izpǎlnim), осъществим (bg) (osǎštestvim)
• Dutch: doenbaar (nl), uitvoerbaar (nl), werkbaar (nl)
• Irish: sodhéanta
• Manx: so-yannoo
• Romanian: practicabil (ro)
• Spanish: realizable, alcanzable (es), factible (es), asequible (es), practicable (es)

serving a useful function; functional or handy

• Bulgarian: приложим (bg) (priložim)
• Dutch: bruikbaar (nl), handig (nl), hanteerbaar (nl), nuttig (nl), functioneel (nl)
• Romanian: funcțional (ro), folosibil

available for use; accessible or employable

• Bulgarian: използваем (bg) (izpolzvaem)
• Dutch: bruikbaar (nl), hanteerbaar (nl), toegankelijk (nl), werkbaar (nl)
• Romanian: funcționabil, practicabil (ro)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• French: ^{(please verify)} praticable (fr)

Catalan

Etymology

From practicar +‎ -able.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic) [pɾək.tiˈkab.blə]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [pɾak.tiˈka.ble]

Adjective

practicable m or f (masculine and feminine plural practicables)

1. practicable, feasible

   Antonym: impracticable

Derived terms

• impracticable

Further reading

• “practicable” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “practicable”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2024
• “practicable” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “practicable” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

Spanish

Etymology

From practicar +‎ -able.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pɾaɡtiˈkable/ [pɾaɣ̞.t̪iˈka.β̞le]
• Rhymes: -able
• Syllabification: prac‧ti‧ca‧ble

Adjective

practicable m or f (masculine and feminine plural practicables)

1. practicable, feasible

   Antonym: impracticable

Derived terms

• impracticable
• practicabilidad

 

Further reading

• “practicable”, in Diccionario de la lengua española (in Spanish), online version 23.7, Royal Spanish Academy, 2023 November 28