able

A2 Topic:Describing People

US [ˈeɪ̯.bw] UK /ˈeɪ.bl̩/ See IPA manual

Freq #470

Meanings

1

adj
having the power, skill, or chance to do something

She is able to lift the box without any help.
2

adj
good at what you do; skilled and intelligent

He is an able and respected lawyer.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 adj · good at what you do;... capable competent

Word family

Forms ablerablest

Derived forms abilityable-bodiedable-bodismable-bodyismable-bodyistable-mindedabledableismableistablenationalismablenationalistableness

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *gʰeh₁bʰ- Proto-Italic *haβēō Latin habeō Proto-Indo-European *-elis Proto-Italic *-elis Latin -ilis Latin habilis Old French ablebor. Middle English able English able From Middle English able, from Old Northern French able, variant of Old French abile, habile, from Latin habilis (“easily managed, held, or handled; apt; skillful”). Doublet of habile.

*gʰeh₁bʰ- Proto-Indo-European able Middle English abile Old French habilis Latin

View etymology graph ->

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# able

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** [ˈeɪ̯.bw]
**IPA (UK):** /ˈeɪ.bl̩/
**Frequency rank:** 470

## Meanings
1. having the power, skill, or chance to do something
2. good at what you do; skilled and intelligent

## Examples
- She is able to lift the box without any help.
- He is an able and respected lawyer.

## Derived Forms
- ability
- able-bodied
- able-bodism
- able-bodyism
- able-bodyist
- able-minded
- abled
- ableism
- ableist
- ablenationalism
- ablenationalist
- ableness

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *gʰeh₁bʰ-
- Root: able
- Root: abile
- Root: habilis

## Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *gʰeh₁bʰ- Proto-Italic *haβēō Latin habeō Proto-Indo-European *-elis Proto-Italic *-elis Latin -ilis Latin habilis Old French ablebor. Middle English able English able From Middle English able, from Old Northern French able, variant of Old French abile, habile, from Latin habilis (“easily managed, held, or handled; apt; skillful”). Doublet of habile.

## AI Etymology
Able comes from Middle English able, from Old Northern French able, variant of Old French abile, habile, from Latin habilis (“easily managed, held, or handled; apt; skillful”). Doublet of habile. The historical line also includes Proto-Indo-European *gʰeh₁bʰ-.

## Topics
- Describing People

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