Maintainable

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Able to be kept in a condition that enables ongoing operation and support without major obstacles
2. Capable of being preserved in a condition that allows continued function without significant difficulties
3. Able to be sustained over time with reasonable effort and resources to prevent failure or decline

Etymology: Maintainable is a plain formation: the verb "maintain" with the suffix "-able" attached, meaning "able to be maintained." The verb came into English from Old French "maintenir," which goes back to Latin "manu tenere," literally "to hold in the hand." That hand-holding sense of keeping something upright and in place is still visible in the modern adjective. The suffix does most of the work. "-able" descends from Latin "-bilis" and its extended form "-ābilis," which carried the sense of "capable of being," and it entered English through Old French and Middle English. Attaching it to a verb yields a word that describes whether something can be kept going, not merely whether it is held.

Synonyms: sustainable, manageable, defendable, supportable

Antonyms: unsustainable, unmanageable