English edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from French viable, with semantic influence of Latin viābilis (passable).

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ˈvaɪəbəl/
    • (file)
  • Rhymes: -aɪəbəl
  • Hyphenation: vi‧a‧ble

Adjective edit

viable (comparative more viable, superlative most viable)

  1. Able to live on its own (as for a newborn).
  2. Able to be done, possible, practicable, feasible.
    a viable option
  3. Capable of working successfully
    • 2023 March 8, David Clough, “The long road that led to Beeching”, in RAIL, number 978, page 42:
      Barker believed that evidence was emerging that a "solid proportion" of operations were "grossly uneconomic", and that no amount of improvement in equipment would make them viable. He suggested that "while the superstructure of the report is correct, the foundations require radical re-examination".
  4. (biology) Able to live and develop.

Antonyms edit

Derived terms edit

Related terms edit

Translations edit

Noun edit

viable (plural viables)

  1. (biology) An organism that is able to live and develop.

Further reading edit

French edit

Etymology edit

From vie (life) +‎ -able.

Adjective edit

viable (plural viables)

  1. viable, feasible

Descendants edit

  • Portuguese: viável

Further reading edit

Spanish edit

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ˈbjable/ [ˈbja.β̞le]
  • Rhymes: -able
  • Syllabification: via‧ble

Adjective edit

viable m or f (masculine and feminine plural viables)

  1. viable

Derived terms edit

Further reading edit