Watchable

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Capable of being watched with interest or enjoyment
2. Good enough to hold attention while viewing
3. Pleasing or acceptable to observe

Etymology: "Watchable" is a plain formation: the verb "watch" plus the suffix "-able," meaning "able to be" or "worthy of." The suffix itself has a longer road into English. It descends from Latin "-bilis" and "-ābilis," which gave Old French "-able," and English borrowed that French form in the Middle English period, after which it became a productive ending that English speakers could attach to almost any verb. That productivity is the notable part. Because "-able" was a living ending rather than a fixed set of words, English speakers could coin new forms on demand, and "watchable" is one of many such formations built from a native verb and a French-derived suffix. The result is a word that mixes an Old English root with a suffix that arrived by way of Latin and French.

Synonyms: viewable, entertaining, enjoyable, captivating, engaging

Antonyms: unwatchable, boring, dull, tedious