Corruptable

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Capable of being made dishonest, immoral, or decayed through bribery, temptation, or natural deterioration
2. Susceptible to moral decay, dishonesty, or degradation due to unethical influences or inherent weaknesses
3. Able to be led into wrongful behavior, compromised integrity, or degradation influenced by corruption or pressure

Etymology: "Corruptable" is "corrupt" with the suffix "-able" added, meaning "capable of being corrupted." The base word "corrupt" comes from Latin "corruptus," the past participle of "corrumpere," meaning "to break up, destroy, or spoil," built from "com-" (together, intensive) and "rumpere" (to break), the same root that gives English "rupture." The original sense was physical: something broken or spoiled, and only later did it take on the moral meaning of dishonesty. The suffix "-able" comes from Latin "-abilis," which turns a verb into an adjective meaning "able to be" or "susceptible to" the action. So "corruptable" literally means "able to be broken down or spoiled." The spelling is worth noticing. The standard form is "corruptible," from the same Latin suffix in its "-ibilis" variant, which was attached to the verb stem, while "corruptable" applies the more common "-able" ending to the base "corrupt." Both spellings are in use, and "corruptible" is the form most dictionaries prefer.

Synonyms: deceivable, dishonest

Antonyms: virtuous, incorruptible