passable
passable Lexical Profile
passable Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Just good enough to be acceptable; satisfactory or adequate, though not outstanding.
"Although he had only studied for a few months, he spoke passable Spanish during the trip."
Capable of being traveled on, crossed, or navigated without obstruction (especially of a road, mountain pass, or river).
"After the snowplows cleared the highway, the mountain road was finally passable again."
Valid for circulation or able to be accepted as genuine (especially of coins or currency).
"The worn silver coin was barely passable at the local market."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'passable' (capable of being crossed, or barely satisfactory) with its homophone 'passible', a rare theological term meaning capable of feeling emotion or suffering.
• Rhymes for passable
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the 14th century from Old French 'passable', derived from 'passer' (to pass), ultimately tracing back to Late Latin 'passare' (to step or pace).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.