certifiable

C1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈsɝtəˌfaɪəbəl/ UK /ˈsɜːtɪfaɪəbəl/ See IPA manual

Freq #35841

Meanings

1

adj
capable of being officially certified, verified, or guaranteed

The inspector found the material certifiable under the new safety standard.
2

adj
informal and dated: considered sufficiently mentally ill to be legally institutionalized; by extension, wildly irrational

His proposal sounded so reckless that one critic jokingly called it certifiable.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · capable of being officially... verifiabledocumentableeligible for certification

2 adj · informal and dated:... insane irrational unhinged

Opposites

uncertifiableunverifiable sane rational

Word family

Derived forms certifiablenesscertifiablynoncertifiableuncertifiable

Related forms certify certificate certification

Etymology

From certify + -able. The literal sense is 'able to be certified.' The colloquial psychiatric sense arose from legal certification for compulsory institutional treatment and is now often used loosely or offensively.

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives Register & Style

External links

# certifiable

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈsɝtəˌfaɪəbəl/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈsɜːtɪfaɪəbəl/
**Frequency rank:** 35841

## Meanings
1. capable of being officially certified, verified, or guaranteed
2. informal and dated: considered sufficiently mentally ill to be legally institutionalized; by extension, wildly irrational

## Examples
- The inspector found the material certifiable under the new safety standard.
- His proposal sounded so reckless that one critic jokingly called it certifiable.

## Synonyms
- verifiable
- documentable
- insane
- irrational

## Antonyms
- uncertifiable
- unverifiable
- sane
- rational

## Derived Forms
- certifiableness
- certifiably
- noncertifiable
- uncertifiable

## Related Forms
- certify
- certificate
- certification

## Etymology
From certify + -able. The literal sense is 'able to be certified.' The colloquial psychiatric sense arose from legal certification for compulsory institutional treatment and is now often used loosely or offensively.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- Register & Style

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