Flexibles

Part of speech: adjective, noun

Definitions

1. Characterized by the ability to easily bend or change shape, often used to describe materials or behaviors that can adapt to different situations
2. Indicating a quality of being versatile or accommodating, allowing for variations in approach or opinion
3. Referring to something designed for adaptability, enabling adjustments in form or strategy to meet specific requirements

Etymology: "Flexibles" is the plural of "flexible," so the story belongs to the adjective. It comes from Middle French "flexible," which was borrowed from Latin "flexibilis," meaning able to be bent or turned. That Latin word grew from "flectere," "to bend or curve," and the English term is built from "flex" plus the suffix "-ible," meaning capable of being. The original sense was entirely physical. Something flexible was a pliant object, like a willow branch or a length of cord, that could bend without breaking. The move from bending wood to bending plans came gradually, as the same image of yielding without snapping was applied to people, rules and schedules. The noun "flexibles" is a more specialised use, typically referring to flexible goods, materials or products, and it follows the same logic: things that can be shaped or adjusted to suit different demands.

Synonyms: pliable, supple, elastic, bendable, limber

Antonyms: rigid, inflexible, stiff, unyielding, hard