Dependables

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Entities or individuals recognized for their reliability and consistent trustworthiness in fulfilling responsibilities or duties
2. Persons or things regarded as consistently responsible and capable of being relied upon for support or dependable outcomes
3. Those characterized by steadfastness and the ability to be counted on to perform tasks or provide assistance without failure

Etymology: "Dependables" is simply the plural of "dependable," so the story belongs to its base word. "Depend" came into English in the Middle English period, borrowed through Old French "dependre" from Latin "dependere," built from "de-" ("down, from") and "pendere" ("to hang"). The literal sense was something hanging from something else, and that physical image of suspension survives in the idea of one thing hinging on another. The suffix "-able" arrived by a separate route. It descends from Latin "-bilis," which attached to verb stems to mean "capable of being" or "fit for," and passed into English through Old French "-able." Adding it to "depend" produced "dependable," meaning able to be relied upon. Plural "dependables," meaning reliable people or things, follows the ordinary pattern of nouns ending in a consonant plus "-able."

Synonyms: reliables, trustworthy ones, steadfast ones, loyal ones, responsible ones

Antonyms: unreliables, untrustworthy ones, irresponsible ones, undependables, inconsistent ones