habilis

Latin

Etymology

From habeō (“have, possess”) +‎ -bilis, with haplology simplifying -bibi- to -bi-.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈha.bi.lis/, [ˈhäbɪlʲɪs̠]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈa.bi.lis/, [ˈäːbilis]

Adjective

habilis (neuter habile, comparative habilior); third-declension two-termination adjective

1. able to have/possess/maintain
2. having sufficient ability or power to do or to conduct; skillful
3. suitable, apt, fit, proper

   Synonyms: opportūnus, commodus, aptus, idōneus, dignus, conveniēns, iūstus, lēgitimus, ūtilis, salūber, ūtēnsilis

   Antonyms: incommodus, inūtilis, ineptus

4. nimble, swift
5. manageable

Declension

Third-declension two-termination adjective.

Number	Singular			Plural
Case / Gender	Masc./Fem.	Neuter		Masc./Fem.	Neuter
Nominative	habilis	habile		habilēs	habilia
Genitive	habilis			habilium
Dative	habilī			habilibus
Accusative	habilem	habile		habilēs habilīs	habilia
Ablative	habilī			habilibus
Vocative	habilis	habile		habilēs	habilia

Synonyms

• (suitable, proper): idōneus
• (manageable): docilis

Derived terms

• dēbilis
• habilitās
• habiliter
• habilitō

Descendants

• Catalan: hàbil
• Italian: abile
• Old French: able
  • French: habile
    • → Romanian: abil
  • → Middle Dutch: abel
    • Dutch: abel
  • → Middle English: able, habil
    • English: able, habile
      • → Welsh: abl
• Portuguese: hábil
• Spanish: hábil
• Translingual: Homo habilis

References

• “habilis”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “habilis”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• habilis in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
• habilis in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.