adj · noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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CMU ARPABET:IH0 K S P AE1 N D AH0 B AH0 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Having the capacity to be expanded.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
an expandable baton
an expandable tree of data on a computer display
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Anything that can be expanded.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Mobile homes include doublewides, expandables, and single units.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adjective satellite
Meaning 3
(of gases) capable of expansion
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: expandible, expansible, expansile
Antonyms: none provided
4
adjective satellite
Meaning 4
able to expand or be expanded
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: expandible, expansible
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English expand Proto-Indo-European *-tḗr Proto-Indo-European *-dhlom Proto-Indo-European *-dhlis Proto-Italic *-ðlis Latin -bilis Latin -ābilis Old French -ablebor. Middle English -able English -able English expandable From expand + -able.
Across languages
Translations
19 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
разширяем
(razširjaem)
— having the capacity to be expanded
Catalan:
expansible
— having the capacity to be expanded
Chinese Mandarin:
可扩展的
— having the capacity to be expanded
Finnish:
laajennettava
— having the capacity to be expanded
French:
extensible
— having the capacity to be expanded
German:
expandierbar
— having the capacity to be expanded
German:
erweiterbar
— having the capacity to be expanded
German:
ausbaufähig
— having the capacity to be expanded
German:
ausdehnbar
— having the capacity to be expanded
German:
ausdehnungsfähig
— having the capacity to be expanded
German:
erweiterungsfähig
— having the capacity to be expanded
German:
expansionsfähig
— having the capacity to be expanded
German:
expansionsbereit
— having the capacity to be expanded
Italian:
dilatabile
— having the capacity to be expanded
Italian:
espandibile
— having the capacity to be expanded
Manx:
yn-lheanaghey
— having the capacity to be expanded
Portuguese:
expansível
— having the capacity to be expanded
Spanish:
ampliable
— having the capacity to be expanded
Spanish:
expandible
— having the capacity to be expanded