affordable

American  

[uh-fawr-duh-buhl] / əˈfɔr də bəl /

adjective

1. that can be afforded; believed to be within one's financial means.

   attractive new cars at affordable prices.

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noun

1. Usually affordables. items, expenses, etc., that one can afford.

   a variety of affordables for your gift list.

Usage

What does affordable mean? If something is affordable, it means its price is low enough that you (or most people) have enough money to buy it.Affordable is the adjective form of the verb afford. If you can afford something, you have enough money to pay for it. Much less commonly, affordable can be used as a noun meaning an item that one can afford.Example: Rachel wants to buy a luxury car, but with her budget I think she should consider a more affordable option.

Other Word Forms

• affordability noun
• affordably adverb
• unaffordability noun
• unaffordable adjective

Etymology

Origin of affordable

First recorded in 1865–70; afford + -able

Example Sentences

Ms Brown called for the government to make nutritious options "more affordable, accessible and appealing".

From BBC

"So many of those people that we've known for 20 or 30 years are moving away" to more affordable communities, he said.

From Barron's

“It’s very affordable in this area, but the one thing I will say is it’s very competitive,” Griggs said of the housing market.

From The Wall Street Journal

However, analysts and investors were disappointed by the launch, saying the models, which start at $36,990, aren’t affordable enough to entice a new group of consumers to consider going green.

From Los Angeles Times

“We look forward to a swift resolution in this case to provide the operator with regulatory certainty and Californians with affordable American energy.”

From Barron's

Related Words

• cheap
• economical