awakable
|a-wak-a-ble|
🇺🇸
/əˈweɪkəbəl/
🇬🇧
/əˈweɪkəbl/
able to be awakened
Etymology
'awakable' originates from the verb 'awake' combined with the adjectival suffix '-able'; 'awake' comes from Old English 'awæcnan/awacan' meaning 'to wake', and the suffix '-able' derives ultimately from Latin 'abilis' (via Old French) meaning 'able to be'.
'awake' changed from Old English 'awæcnan/awacan' into Middle English forms like 'awaken'/'awake', and later the productive suffix '-able' was attached to form adjectives such as 'awakable' in Modern English.
Initially related directly to the action 'to wake', the combined form came to mean 'able to be awakened' and retains that literal sense; figurative uses (able to be roused emotionally or intellectually) developed later.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
capable of being awakened from sleep, stupor, or unconsciousness.
The sleeping device was awakable by a gentle tap on the screen.
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Adjective 2
figuratively, capable of being roused or aroused (interest, emotion, memory).
His curiosity was awakable by a single intriguing question.
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Last updated: 2025/12/04 01:46