Compactable

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. An item possesses the ability to be packed tightly together without significant loss of its fundamental qualities
2. A substance can be reduced in volume while maintaining its essential properties and structural integrity
3. Able to be pressed or squeezed into a denser form without damage

Etymology: "Compactable" is a straightforward formation: the adjective "compact" with the suffix "-able" attached, giving the sense "capable of being compacted." The base word "compact" traces back to Latin "compactus," the past participle of "compingere," meaning "to fasten together" or "to join," built from "com-" ("together") and "pangere" ("to fasten"). That same Latin root gives English "pact," "impact" and "compact" as a noun for an agreement, which all share the idea of things being fixed or fastened together. The suffix "-able" comes from Latin "-abilis," and in English it means "able to be" or "susceptible to" the action named by the root. So a compactable material is one that can be pressed down into a denser mass, such as soil, snow or waste that can be crushed into a smaller volume. The word is simply a transparent combination of familiar parts, with no surprising shift in meaning along the way.

Synonyms: compressible, foldable

Antonyms: expandable