Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “softenable” come from?

softenable (English) comes from English able, from Middle English able, from Old French able, from Latin habilis, from Latin -ilis, from Proto-Italic -elis, from Proto-Indo-European -elis, from Proto-Indo-European -lós — Forms agent nouns from verbal roots.

softenable (English): Capable of being softened

Definitions

  1. Capable of being softened

Ancestry of “softenable”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishableEasy to use; Suitable; competent; Liable to
2Middle Englishable—
3Old Frenchableable; capable
4Latinhabilisable to have/possess/maintain; having sufficient...
5Latin-ilis-ile
6Proto-Italic-elis—
7Proto-Indo-European-elis—
8Proto-Indo-European-lósForms agent nouns from verbal roots

Words derived from “softenable”

  • unsoftenable
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -lós →