English edit

Etymology edit

From Middle English comparable, from Middle French comparable, from Latin comparābilis.

Pronunciation edit

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈkɒmp(ə)ɹəbl̩/, /kəmˈpæɹəbl̩/
    • (file)
    • (file)
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈkɑmp(ə)ɹəbl̩/, /kəmˈpæɹəbl̩/
  • (US, Marymarrymerry merger) IPA(key): /kəmˈpɛɹəbl̩/

Adjective edit

comparable (comparative more comparable, superlative most comparable)

  1. (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.
    • 1951 April, Stirling Everard, “A Matter of Pedigree”, in Railway Magazine, number 600, page 273:
      The firebox married to Britannia's boiler is not, however, in the Doncaster tradition, notwithstanding that it is comparable in dimensions to that of the "V2."
    • 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.
  2. (often with to) Similar (to); like.
  3. (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.
  4. (grammar) Said of an adjective that has comparative and superlative forms.
    Synonym: gradable
    "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 notes edit

The pronunciation /ˈkɒmp(ə)ɹəbl̩/ is almost never used for sense 4.

Derived terms edit

Translations edit

Noun edit

comparable (plural comparables)

  1. Something suitable for comparison.
    • 2009 January 2, Fred A. Bernstein, “Catskill Home Prices: How Low Will They Go?”, in New York Times[1]:
      And the appraiser said he couldn't come up with comparables, because there hadn't been any sales nearby in several months.

Further reading edit

Asturian edit

Etymology edit

From Latin comparābilis.

Adjective edit

comparable (epicene, plural comparables)

  1. comparable

Related terms edit

Catalan edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from Latin comparābilis.

Pronunciation edit

Adjective edit

comparable m or f (masculine and feminine plural comparables)

  1. comparable
    Antonym: incomparable

Derived terms edit

Related terms edit

Further reading edit

French edit

Etymology edit

From Latin comparābilis.

Pronunciation edit

Adjective edit

comparable (plural comparables)

  1. comparable (suitable to be compared)

Related terms edit

Further reading edit

Galician edit

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

From Latin comparābilis.

Adjective edit

comparable m or f (plural comparables)

  1. comparable

Related terms edit

Further reading edit

Middle English edit

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from Middle French comparable, from Latin comparābilis; equivalent to comparen +‎ -able.

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ˌkɔmpaˈraːbəl/, /ˌkɔmpaˈraːblə/, /ˈkɔmpərabəl/

Adjective edit

comparable (Late Middle English)

  1. Of identical or similar value; comparing favourably.
  2. Comparable, commensurable; suitable for comparison.

Descendants edit

  • English: comparable

References edit

Spanish edit

Etymology edit

From Latin comparābilis.

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /kompaˈɾable/ [kõm.paˈɾa.β̞le]
  • Rhymes: -able
  • Syllabification: com‧pa‧ra‧ble

Adjective edit

comparable m or f (masculine and feminine plural comparables)

  1. comparable
    Synonym: equiparable
    Antonym: incomparable

Derived terms edit

Related terms edit

Further reading edit