'appliable' originates from 'Latin', specifically the word 'applicare', where 'ad-' meant 'to' and 'plicare' meant 'to fold or to place'.

'appliable' changed from Old French/Medieval Latin forms such as 'appliquer' and the Middle English verb 'apply', and eventually the adjective form was formed in modern English as 'appliable' by adding the suffix '-able' to 'apply'.

Initially, the root verb meant 'to attach or join', but over time it evolved into the sense 'to put into use or bring to bear', and 'appliable' came to mean 'capable of being applied' in those senses.