adj · 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
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
/ˈɹiː.də.bəl/
[ˈɹiː.də.bl̩]
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:R IY1 D AH0 B AH0 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Legible, possible to read or at least decipher.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Qualifier: print; etc; print; etc
Examples
If that sign were still readable we'd know where we are!
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Which can be read—i.e. accessed or played—by a certain technical type of device.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
No sale, those aren't readable with my DVD-player!
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
Enjoyable to read, of an acceptable stylistic quality or at least functionally composed.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
These assembly instructions aren't readable, I still don't have a clue how to start!
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adjective satellite
Meaning 4
easily deciphered
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: clear, decipherable
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English read 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 readable From read + -able.
Across languages
Translations
28 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
четлив
(četliv)
— which can be read by a certain device
Dutch:
afleesbaar
— which can be read by a certain device
Dutch:
leesbaar
— which can be read by a certain device
Georgian:
წაკითხვადი
(c̣aḳitxvadi)
— which can be read by a certain device
Norwegian Bokmål:
lesbar
— which can be read by a certain device
Norwegian Nynorsk:
lesbar
— which can be read by a certain device
Russian:
чита́емый
(čitájemyj)
— which can be read by a certain device
Swedish:
läsbar
— which can be read by a certain device
Welsh:
darllenadwy
— which can be read by a certain device
Bulgarian:
интересен
(interesen)
— enjoyable to read
Bulgarian:
увлекателен
(uvlekatelen)
— enjoyable to read
Czech:
čtivý
— enjoyable to read
Dutch:
leesbaar
— enjoyable to read
Dutch:
lezenswaardig
— enjoyable to read
Finnish:
sujuva
— enjoyable to read
Greek:
ευκολοδιάβαστος
(efkolodiávastos)
— enjoyable to read
Hungarian:
olvasmányos
— enjoyable to read
Hungarian:
érdekes
— enjoyable to read
Norwegian Bokmål:
lesbar
— enjoyable to read
Norwegian Bokmål:
leselig
— enjoyable to read
Norwegian Nynorsk:
lesbar
— enjoyable to read
Norwegian Nynorsk:
leseleg
— enjoyable to read
Russian:
чита́емый
(čitájemyj)
— enjoyable to read
Russian:
чита́бельный
(čitábelʹnyj)
— enjoyable to read
Russian:
интере́сный
(interésnyj)
— enjoyable to read
