Words with the suffix -ible
-ible means “capable of; fit for”, from Latin -ibilis. It makes a word into an adjective.
15 examples of the suffix -ible
- visiblevis + -iblecapable of being seen
- flexibleflect + -iblecapable of being bent
- possibleposs + -iblecapable of happening
- terribleterr + -iblefit to cause terror
- edibleed + -iblefit to be eaten
- audibleaud + -iblecapable of being heard
- legibleleg + -iblecapable of being read clearly
- reversiblerevers + -iblecapable of being turned back
- digestibledigest + -iblecapable of being digested
- convertibleconvert + -iblecapable of being converted
- defensibledefens + -iblecapable of being defended
- comprehensiblecomprehens + -iblecapable of being understood
- contemptiblecontempt + -iblefit to be despised
- indefensibledefens + -iblenot capable of being defended
- irrepressiblerepress + -iblenot capable of being suppressed
How -ible works
The suffix '-ible' converts Latin-rooted verbs or stems into adjectives meaning 'capable of' or 'fit for,' often requiring spelling adjustments such as dropping a final 'e' or altering the stem. The negative prefix added to '-ible' words assimilates to the following consonant, becoming 'in-', 'im-', 'il-', or 'ir-' (e.g., 'invisible,' 'impossible,' 'illegible,' 'irrepressible').
Watch out: Words like 'gullible,' 'crucible,' and 'mandible' superficially resemble '-ible' adjectives but their endings are not the productive suffix meaning 'capable of' — they are simply part of the fixed Latin root.
To see suffixes combine with other parts, try the word dissector and root builder, or test yourself in the vocabulary quiz.
Other common suffixes
- -able · capable of
- -tion · act
- -ness · state
- -ly · in a specified manner
- -er · one who performs an action
- -ment · result
- -ful · full of
- -less · without
- -ous · having the quality of
- -ity · state
- -ism · doctrine
- -ist · one who practices or believes in
- -ize · to make or cause to become
- -al · of
- -ance · action
- -ence · action
- -ive · tending to
- -ship · state
Questions people ask
What does the suffix -ible mean?
-ible means “capable of; fit for”. It comes from Latin -ibilis. The suffix '-ible' converts Latin-rooted verbs or stems into adjectives meaning 'capable of' or 'fit for,' often requiring spelling adjustments such as dropping a final 'e' or altering the stem. The negative prefix added to '-ible' words assimilates to the following consonant, becoming 'in-', 'im-', 'il-', or 'ir-' (e.g., 'invisible,' 'impossible,' 'illegible,' 'irrepressible').
What are some examples of words with the suffix -ible?
visible, flexible, possible, terrible, edible, audible, legible, reversible. The full list of 15 examples, with what each one literally means, is above.
Which words look like they have the suffix -ible but don’t?
Words like 'gullible,' 'crucible,' and 'mandible' superficially resemble '-ible' adjectives but their endings are not the productive suffix meaning 'capable of' — they are simply part of the fixed Latin root.
What is a suffix?
A suffix is a word part added to the end of a word. It often changes the part of speech: -ness turns the adjective kind into the noun kindness, and -ly turns quick into the adverb quickly.