Tensionable

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Capable of being stretched or strained to bear tension; able to withstand or sustain pulling forces; suitable for creating or maintaining tightness
2. Describing materials or objects that can be put under tension; fit to resist pulling pressure; appropriate for applying or enduring stretching forces
3. Able to be subjected to tensile stress without failure; qualified to hold or keep tight under strain; applicable for use in situations requiring firm stretching or pulling

Etymology: "Tensionable" is formed from "tension" plus the suffix "-able," meaning "capable of being" or "fit for" the action named. "Tension" comes from Latin "tensio," from "tendere," "to stretch," the same root that gives "tendon," "tent," and "tense." The Latin word originally described the act of stretching, and English took "tension" in the sense of being stretched taut before it came to mean nervous strain or electrical potential. The suffix does the same job in many other English adjectives, such as "washable" or "breakable." A "tensionable" material is therefore one that can be stretched or placed under load without failing, which is why the term appears in engineering and textile contexts describing fibres, cables, and wires.