Playable

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Suitable for involvement in an activity that provides amusement or entertainment
2. Capable of being engaged with as part of a game or interactive experience
3. Having the qualities needed to participate effectively in recreational or gaming contexts

Etymology: The adjective "playable" is about as transparent as English gets: it is "play" with the suffix "-able" attached, meaning "able to be played." That makes it a plain formation rather than a story of its own, so the interest lies in the parts. "Play" descends from Old English "plega" and the verb "plegian," words for games, sport and exercise, while the suffix traces back through Latin "-abilis" and Old French "-able," which English borrowed in large numbers during the Middle English period. The suffix is the more productive half of the story. Latin "-abilis" attached to verb stems to mean "capable of being," and English adopted that pattern so readily that it could be added to almost any verb, producing words like "readable," "washable" and "playable." Because the suffix does this job so well, English speakers can coin new adjectives on the spot, which is why "playable" is easy to understand even when a reader meets it for the first time.

Synonyms: fit, suitable, usable

Antonyms: unplayable, inappropriate, unsuitable