Talk:able

Liable to something; capable

AMENABLE: able to be affected 
The tumor is not amenable to treatment.

susceptible to some action or treatment
a shoe able to be repaired
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/able

--Backinstadiums (talk) 17:45, 12 March 2020 (UTC)

A pronunciation common in Australia should be added: /ˈæbl̩/ — Richwales (no relation to Jimbo) 05:15, 10 June 2025 (UTC)

(obsolete, passive)

The first three meanings are wrongly labeled (passive) contradicting even its own examples --Backinstadiums (talk) 17:48, 12 March 2020 (UTC)

"Broadly ousted the native Old English magan"

I think this part of etymology should be removed.

"magan" was not an adjective and was a verb in the same way "may" is today. Furthermore, it semantically shifted to specifically mean permission (as opposed to ability) well into the modern era. Troopersho (talk) 23:45, 3 February 2026 (UTC)

I agree and have therefore been bold enough to delete the section. If anybody knows the Old English word for "able, capable", this could be mentioned instead. ~2026-61189-1 (talk) 22:20, 8 February 2026 (UTC)