Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “questionable” come from?

Questionable comes from Middle English -able, Old French -able, and Latin -abilis, ultimately deriving from Latin quaerere meaning to seek or inquire.

questionable (English): Problematic; open to doubt or challenge; Of...

Definitions

  1. Problematic; open to doubt or challenge; Of...

Ancestry of “questionable”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishquestionA sentence, phrase or word which asks for...
2Frenchquestionnerto question, interrogate; to call into question
3Frenchquestiona question; a matter or issue; a problem
4Old Frenchquestionquestion
5Latinquaestiō—
6Latin-tiō—
7Latindissertātiō—
8Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
9Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
10Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
11Latincalceusshoe
12Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
13Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “questionable”

  • questionably
  • questionableness
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →