Strikeable

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Capable of being hit or impacted in some manner
2. Able to be affected by an action or event that causes a change or disruption
3. Potentially open to legal action or repercussions based on a specific act or failure to act

Etymology: "Strikeable" is a plain formation: the verb "strike" with the suffix "-able," which turns a verb into an adjective meaning "capable of being" the action named. So a strikeable target is one that can be hit, and the adjective follows the same pattern as "readable" or "washable." The suffix "-able" came into English through Old French from Latin "-abilis," which attached to verbs to mean "able to be" something. English has produced a large family of these, and "strikeable" is one of the more transparent members, since its meaning can be read straight off its parts.