Where does “interchangeable” come from?
Interchangeable derives from Middle English -able, from Old French -able, from Latin -abilis, a suffix meaning "able to be," from Latin -i-.
interchangeable (English): Freely substitutable; that may be swapped at...
Definitions
- Freely substitutable; that may be swapped at...
Ancestry of “interchangeable”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | -able | An adjectival suffix; forms adjectives meaning |
| 2 | Middle English | -able | able |
| 3 | Old French | -able | worthy of, deserving of; -ing, creating an... |
| 4 | Latin | -ābilis | suffixed to noun to form adjectives meaning "able to have or bring, prone to have or bring, having the power to have or bring": -able |