Citeable

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Able to be referenced in academic writings or formal discussions
2. Pertaining to sources or materials that merit inclusion in scholarly citations
3. Capable of being mentioned or used as a reliable source in research or writing

Etymology: "Citeable" is a spelling variant of "citable," which is formed from "cite" plus the suffix "-able." The suffix descends from a Latin ending, "-abilis," which expressed capability or fitness, so that "citable" means capable of being cited. The Latin ending passed into Old French as "-able," entered Middle English in the same form, and was then used freely in English to build new adjectives from verbs. The base verb "cite" has its own Latin origin, from "citare," meaning to summon or set in motion, the same root that gives English "excite" and "incite." A source that can be cited is, in effect, one that can be summoned into an argument as a witness, which is the older sense the verb still carries in legal and scholarly contexts.

Synonyms: quotable, referable

Antonyms: uncitable