payable
Americanadjective
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to be paid; due.
a loan payable in 30 days.
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capable of being or liable to be paid.
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Law. imposing an immediate obligation on the debtor.
noun
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an amount, bill, etc., that is to be paid.
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payables, the accounts payable of a business.
Payables are now handled by our computer.
adjective
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(often foll by on) to be paid
payable on the third of each month
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that is capable of being paid
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capable of being profitable
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(of a debt) imposing an obligation on the debtor to pay, esp at once
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of payable
late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at pay 1, -able
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.
The company ended the first quarter with a record $381.1 billion in cash and Treasury bills, after accounting for a payable for purchasing some of short-term government debt.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026
The company was fined £267,000, with an added victim surcharge taking the total payable to £287,025.
From BBC • May 18, 2026
A sizeable proportion of the BBC's income comes from the licence fee, which is payable by all UK households with a television, or whose occupants watch live screening online.
From Barron's • May 18, 2026
However, it only becomes payable if he hits ambitious milestones, including raising the company's market value to $8.5tn, in which case Musk could be awarded shares worth up to $1tn.
From BBC • May 1, 2026
“Today is Mr. Featherstone's birthday. Today is the anniversary of Tilita’s marriage. Insurance is payable, as are the water, gas, and light bills.”
From "The Martian Chronicles" by Ray Bradbury
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.
