comparable

C1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈkɑmp.(ə.)ɹə.bɫ̩/ UK /ˈkɒmp.(ə.)ɹə.bɫ̩/ See IPA manual

adj noun Freq #22485

Meanings

1

adj
Similar enough to be compared; of a similar size, quality, or level.

An elephant is comparable in size to a double-decker bus.
2

adj
Able to be compared with something else in a fair or meaningful way.

The two cities are comparable in population, so the study compared them directly.
3

noun
Something used as a basis for comparison, especially a similar property used to set a price.

The appraiser couldn't find any comparables because no nearby houses had sold recently.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · similar enough to be... like corresponding

Word family

Derived forms biocomparablecomparabilitycomparablenesscomparablyincomparableintercomparablenoncomparableuncomparable

Etymology

From Middle English comparable, from Middle French comparable, from Latin comparābilis. By surface analysis, compare + -able.

comparable Middle English comparābilis Latin

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Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

# comparable

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** adj, noun
**IPA (US):** ˈkɑmp.(ə.)ɹə.bɫ̩
**IPA (UK):** ˈkɒmp.(ə.)ɹə.bɫ̩
**Frequency rank:** 22485

## Meanings
1. Similar enough to be compared; of a similar size, quality, or level.
2. Able to be compared with something else in a fair or meaningful way.
3. Something used as a basis for comparison, especially a similar property used to set a price.

## Examples
- An elephant is comparable in size to a double-decker bus.
- The two cities are comparable in population, so the study compared them directly.
- The appraiser couldn't find any comparables because no nearby houses had sold recently.

## Derived Forms
- biocomparable
- comparability
- comparableness
- comparably
- incomparable
- intercomparable
- noncomparable
- uncomparable

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: comparable
- Root: comparābilis

## Etymology
From Middle English comparable, from Middle French comparable, from Latin comparābilis. By surface analysis, compare + -able.

## AI Etymology
Comparable is from Middle English comparable, from Middle French comparable, from Latin comparābilis. By surface analysis, compare + -able. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern adjectival form is built from the named base and affix. Important recorded forms include comparable (Middle English) and comparābilis (Latin). Current senses include similar enough to be compared; of a similar size, quality, or level, able to be compared with something else in a fair or meaningful way, and something used as a basis for comparison, especially a similar property used to set a price. The wider family includes derived forms such as biocomparable, comparability, comparableness, comparably, and incomparable.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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