Weaveable

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Able to be interlaced over and under with other threads to form a fabric, mat, or woven object
2. Suitable for being formed by interlacing strands, yarns, or fibres into a cloth or structure
3. Capable of being put together by passing threads or strips across and under one another

Etymology: "Weaveable" is a plain formation: the verb "weave" with the suffix "-able," meaning capable of being woven. The spelling with the final "e" is an alternative to "weavable," and the two forms have existed side by side for centuries. The earlier English form was "wevable" or "weffabylle," which shows the word was built on the same stem as "weave" long before the modern spelling settled. The root "weave" comes from Old English "wefan," and the suffix "-able" entered English through Old French from Latin "-abilis," a marker of capacity or fitness. Put together, the suffix turns a verb into an adjective describing what can be done to something. Because "weave" is a verb that can apply to fabric, baskets, hair, or even plots and stories, "weaveable" carries the same range of uses.