Doables

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

  1. Tasks or activities that can be realistically achieved or completed; feasible undertakings suitable for action; possible projects or objectives within reach
  2. Actions or goals considered capable of being successfully performed; manageable assignments or plans deemed practical; doable items representing attainable efforts
  3. Endeavors or efforts that are within the realm of possibility to accomplish; work that can be feasibly executed; aims or steps judged to be realistically attainable

Etymology: The noun formed by adding the plural suffix "-s" to "doable" is a relatively recent addition to English, reflecting a modern, informal shift in how we talk about tasks and possibilities. The base adjective "doable" surfaced in American English around the mid-20th century, combining the verb "do" with the suffix "-able," which comes from Latin "-abilis," meaning "capable of" or "worthy of." This formation straightforwardly conveys something that can be accomplished or performed. Turning "doable" into a noun, however, is a more conversational and flexible usage. It transforms an adjective describing feasibility into a countable concept—items or tasks that qualify as achievable or manageable. This sort of nominalization is typical in informal speech, where speakers often seek concise ways to categorize or tally things within a certain criterion, in this case, what can be done. The plural "doables" thus refers to multiple things considered feasible or within reach, often used in contexts like project management, daily chores, or problem-solving discussions. Rather than an official lexical entry with a long history, this noun reflects English's adaptability and the creative ways speakers extend existing words to meet communicative needs. While there is no notable first recorded use or literary origin for the plural noun, it exemplifies a broader trend in English of turning adjectives into nouns to capture abstract or collective ideas. The shift from describing qualities to naming categories is a small but telling example of how language evolves organically in everyday life.

Synonyms: feasibles, achievables, possibles, workables

Antonyms: impossibles, unachievables, infeasibles