Rowable

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. fit for propulsion through a body of water using oars
2. Suitable to be moved over water using oars or similar equipment
3. Able to be powered forward by rowing with oars in a watercraft

Etymology: "Rowable" is simply "row" with the suffix "-able" attached, meaning capable of being rowed. The base verb "row" comes from Old English "rowan," meaning to propel a boat with oars, a sense that has stayed remarkably stable for over a thousand years. The suffix "-able" arrived in English through Old French from Latin "-abilis," a formative meaning "able to be" or "fit for," so the two parts together describe something that can be acted upon by rowing. Because the suffix attaches so readily to verbs, English speakers can form "-able" words on the spot, and "rowable" is a regular example of that productivity. Its meaning follows directly from its parts, with no surprising shift along the way.

Synonyms: paddlable