Enforceable

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Capable of being imposed or upheld according to law or official rules
2. Describes a rule or law that can be applied and supported by legal authority
3. Susceptible to being imposed or maintained through legal or formal means

Etymology: "Enforceable" is a plain formation: the verb "enforce" with the suffix "-able" attached. "Enforce" arrived in English from Old French "enforcier", which combined "en-" (meaning "into" or "make") with "forcier" ("to force"), and that French word descends from Latin "fortis", "strong". So the core idea is to make something strong, or to press it into effect. The suffix does most of the work in the adjective. "-able" comes through Old French from Latin "-ābilis", "-bilis", meaning "capable of being" or "fit for". Middle English took it up as "-able", and English has used it freely ever since to turn verbs into adjectives describing what can be done to something. An enforceable rule is one that can be made to take effect, which is exactly what the Latin suffix promised.

Synonyms: binding, compulsory

Antonyms: unenforceable, void