Upgradables

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Items or components capable of being improved, enhanced, or updated to a higher standard or version
2. Elements or objects that can be modified, improved, or fitted with new features or capabilities to increase their performance or utility
3. Entities or parts that have the potential for advancement, allowing them to be refined or elevated to a preferred or more advanced state

Etymology: "Upgradables" is simply the plural of "upgradable," which is formed from "upgrade" plus the suffix "-able." The "-able" ending traces back through Middle English and Old French to Latin "-abilis," meaning capable of being or able to be done, which is why "upgradable" describes something that can be upgraded. "Upgrade" itself is a compound of "up" and "grade." "Up" descends from Old English "up," while "grade," borrowed from French and ultimately from Latin "gradus" meaning step, gives the sense of a level or rank. Put together, the older "upgrade" meant moving something up to a higher grade or rank, and the modern computing sense of improving a machine's parts or software follows naturally from that idea. The plural form simply pluralizes the noun that names the hardware components, so "upgradables" refers to the parts of a computer or device that can be improved or replaced to increase performance.

Synonyms: improvables, enhanceables

Antonyms: nonupgradeables, fixed