Perpetuable

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /pə(ɹ)ˈpɛtjʊəbəl/

Definitions

1. Capable of being made to last forever or indefinitely
2. Able to be sustained or extended without end
3. Susceptible to continuous or unending continuation

Etymology: Perpetuable is a plain formation: the verb "perpetuate" with the suffix "-able," meaning "capable of being." "Perpetuate" itself comes from the Latin "perpetuare," to make continuous, from "perpetuus," meaning uninterrupted or lasting, which is built from "per" (through, throughout) and "petere" (to seek or aim at). The sense of endless continuity is therefore already present in the Latin root, and the English adjective simply describes something that can be kept going. The suffix does most of the work here. "-able" comes through Old French from the Latin "-abilis," and it has been attached to verbs in English for centuries to mark what can be done to something. Pairs like "readable" or "breakable" follow the same pattern, so "perpetuable" needs no special explanation beyond its parts.

Synonyms: sustainable, enduring, lasting

Antonyms: temporary, transitory, ephemeral