tractable

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈtræktəbəl/ UK /ˈtræktəbl/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
easy to control, manage, or deal with; docile

The new pony proved gentle and tractable under the saddle.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · easy to control, manage, or... manageable docile compliant obedient amenable pliable governable biddable

Opposites

intractable unruly stubborn obstinate recalcitrant

Word family

Forms tractability

Derived forms tractablytractabilitytractableness

Related forms tracttractileintractable traction

Etymology

From Latin tractābilis ('that may be handled, manageable'), from tractāre ('to handle, manage'), frequentative of trahere ('to draw, pull').

tractābilis Latin tractāre Latin trahere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# tractable

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈtræktəbəl/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈtræktəbl/

## Meanings
1. easy to control, manage, or deal with; docile

## Examples
- The new pony proved gentle and tractable under the saddle.

## Synonyms
- manageable
- docile
- compliant
- obedient
- amenable
- pliable
- governable
- biddable

## Antonyms
- intractable
- unruly
- stubborn
- obstinate
- recalcitrant

## Derived Forms
- tractably
- tractability
- tractableness

## Related Forms
- tract
- tractile
- intractable
- traction

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: tractābilis
- Root: tractāre
- Root: trahere - to pull

## Etymology
From Latin tractābilis ('that may be handled, manageable'), from tractāre ('to handle, manage'), frequentative of trahere ('to draw, pull').

## AI Etymology
Tractable comes from Latin tractābilis ('that may be handled, manageable'), from tractāre ('to handle, manage'), frequentative of trahere ('to draw, pull'). The form is best read as a historical transfer or inheritance, with its older language material carrying the main semantic load. As an adjective, it carries the sense "easy to control, manage, or deal with; docile", with the older formation still helping explain the modern use. Relevant historical forms include Latin tractābilis, Latin tractāre, and Latin trahere. Derivative forms include tractably, tractability, tractableness; related words include tract, tractile, intractable, traction.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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