comparable
EnglishEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Middle English comparable, from Middle French comparable, from Latin comparābilis.
PronunciationEdit
- (UK) IPA(key): /ˈkɒmp(ə)ɹəbl̩/, /kəmˈpæɹəbl̩/
- (US) IPA(key): /ˈkɑmp(ə)ɹəbl̩/, /kəmˈpæɹəbl̩/
- (US, Mary–marry–merry merger) IPA(key): /kəmˈpɛɹəbl̩/
AdjectiveEdit
comparable (comparative more comparable, superlative most comparable)
- (often with to) Able to be compared (to).
- An elephant is comparable in size to a double-decker bus.
- You can't say that robbing a bank is like pickpocketing. The two are just not comparable.
- 2022 January 12, Sir Michael Holden, “Reform of the workforce or death by a thousand cuts?”, in RAIL, number 948, page 22:
- As yet, we don't know what the comparable figures will be like for the current financial year which ends in March 2022, but we can have a good stab at approximating them.
- (often with to) Similar (to); like.
- 2013 July-August, Philip J. Bushnell, “Solvents, Ethanol, Car Crashes & Tolerance”, in American Scientist:
- Furthermore, this increase in risk is comparable to the risk of death from leukemia after long-term exposure to benzene, another solvent, which has the well-known property of causing this type of cancer.
- (mathematics) Constituting a pair in a particular partial order.
- Six and forty-two are comparable in the divides order, but six and nine are not.
- (grammar) Said of an adjective that has comparative and superlative forms.
- "Big" is a comparable adjective, since it can take the forms "bigger" and "biggest"; but "unique" is not comparable, except in disputed, but common, usage.
Usage notesEdit
The pronunciation /ˈkɒmp(ə)ɹəbl̩/ is almost never used for sense 4.
Related termsEdit
TranslationsEdit
able to be compared
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similar — see similar
NounEdit
comparable (plural comparables)
- Something suitable for comparison.
- 2009, January 2, “Fred A. Bernstein”, in Catskill Home Prices: How Low Will They Go?[1]:
- And the appraiser said he couldn't come up with comparables, because there hadn't been any sales nearby in several months.
AsturianEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Latin comparābilis.
AdjectiveEdit
comparable (epicene, plural comparables)
Related termsEdit
CatalanEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Latin comparābilis.
PronunciationEdit
- (Balearic) IPA(key): /kom.pəˈɾa.blə/
- (Central) IPA(key): /kum.pəˈɾa.blə/
- (Valencian) IPA(key): /kom.paˈɾa.ble/
AdjectiveEdit
comparable (masculine and feminine plural comparables)
- comparable
- Antonym: incomparable
Derived termsEdit
Related termsEdit
Further readingEdit
- “comparable” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
FrenchEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Latin comparābilis.
PronunciationEdit
AdjectiveEdit
comparable (plural comparables)
- comparable (suitable to be compared)
Related termsEdit
Further readingEdit
- “comparable”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
GalicianEdit
Alternative formsEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Latin comparābilis.
AdjectiveEdit
comparable m or f (plural comparables)
Related termsEdit
Further readingEdit
- “comparable” in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega, Royal Galician Academy.
Middle EnglishEdit
Alternative formsEdit
EtymologyEdit
Borrowed from Middle French comparable, from Latin comparābilis; equivalent to comparen + -able.
PronunciationEdit
AdjectiveEdit
comparable (Late Middle English)
- Of identical or similar value; comparing favourably.
- Comparable, commensurable; suitable for comparison.
DescendantsEdit
- English: comparable
ReferencesEdit
- “comparāble, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
SpanishEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Latin comparābilis.
PronunciationEdit
AdjectiveEdit
comparable (plural comparables)
- comparable
- Antonym: incomparable
Derived termsEdit
Related termsEdit
Further readingEdit
- “comparable”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014