opposable
|op-po-sa-ble|
🇺🇸
/əˈpoʊzəbəl/
🇬🇧
/əˈpəʊzəbl/
capable of opposition
Etymology
'opposable' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'opponere', where 'ob-' meant 'against' and 'ponere' meant 'to place'.
'opponere' passed into Old French as 'opposer' and into Middle English as 'oppose'; the English adjective 'opposable' was formed by adding the adjectival suffix '-able' to 'oppose'.
Initially it meant 'to place against' (literally), and over time it evolved into meanings such as 'able to be opposed' and the anatomical sense 'capable of being placed opposite' that we use today.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
capable of being opposed, resisted, or contradicted (able to be set against or argued against).
The plaintiff's claim was opposable by several strong counterarguments.
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Adjective 2
(anatomy) Capable of being placed opposite another part, especially a thumb that can touch the fingertips (enabling grasping).
Humans have opposable thumbs that allow precise gripping.
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Last updated: 2025/09/30 11:32