labile
Americanadjective
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apt or likely to change.
the labile nature of language.
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(in chemistry, biology, psychiatry, etc.) able or likely to change or break down easily, rapidly, or continually; unstable.
labile emotions;
labile blood pressure;
cellular functions that seem to require different levels of labile zinc.
adjective
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chem (of a compound) prone to chemical change
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liable to change or move
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of labile
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English labil “(of the mind) wandering, forgetful,” from Latin lābilis “sliding, slipping, (of verse) smooth-flowing,” equivalent to Latin lāb(ī) “to slip” + -ilis -ile
Explanation
Labile is an adjective used to describe something that is easily or frequently changed. Radioactive elements, such as uranium or plutonium, are labile. It is this lability that makes them unstable and dangerous. From the Latin verb lābī, "to slide or slip," labile is often found in a technical context, especially in science, to refer to some sort of instability. For example, in chemistry, a compound that can be easily broken down by heat is called labile. The term can also be used in psychology to describe someone who is emotionally unstable.
Vocabulary lists containing labile
100 SAT Words Beginning with "J," "K," and "L"
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Challenge, List 7
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The Gene
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Someone with high IIV might be considered an emotionally labile person.
From Scientific American ● Apr. 5, 2023
Anna says to herself, “Psychopath. The superficial charm, the labile personality, the flat affect.”
From The New Yorker ● Feb. 4, 2019
They both also happen to be emotionally labile oversharers, a quality that discomfits the taciturn Kumail.
From Slate ● Jun. 15, 2017
“She has congestive heart failure and labile blood pressure. Her daughter emails me saying ‘her breathing is abnormal’ or ‘her blood pressure is up, or down.’
From New York Times ● Sep. 27, 2016
When the adrenals fail, as they do readily in these labile adrenocentrics, it is as if the adrenals were cut out of the body.
From The Glands Regulating Personality by Louis Berman M.D.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
