Reassignable

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Capable of having its assignment changed or given to a different entity or purpose
2. Describing something that can be allocated or designated anew after an initial assignment
3. Able to be transferred or reassigned from one use or person to another

Etymology: "Reassignable" is a plain formation: the prefix "re-" ("again") attached to "assign," giving "reassign" (to assign once more), and then the suffix "-able," meaning "capable of being." Put together, the word describes something that can be allocated, designated, or handed to someone new after its first assignment. The root "assign" comes from Latin "assignare," meaning "to mark out" or "to allot," built from "ad-" ("to") and "signare" ("to mark, to seal"), from "signum" ("sign"). So at its core, assigning something is literally marking it for a particular purpose, and reassignable things are those whose marking can be changed.

Synonyms: transferable, reallocatable

Antonyms: fixed, permanent