applicable
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of applicable
First recorded in 1400–50; from Latin applic(āre) “to apply ” + -able, or from Middle French applicable, Medieval Latin applicābilis; replacing late Middle English appliable
Explanation
If something's applicable, it matters in a certain case: it's relevant. If we're going to have rules, shouldn't they be applicable to everyone? Is the idea that there's only one correct way to pronounce a word applicable when it comes to applicable? There's some disagreement about this among the experts, but you'll hear people pronounce applicable two ways: with emphasis on “app” or with emphasis on “plic.” So take your pick and use this word confidently wherever it's applicable.
Vocabulary lists containing applicable
Power Suffix: -able
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-able
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Ten Words from The New York Times - Apr. 24, 2013
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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.
The findings appear in the paper "Beauty in/of Mathematics: Tessellations and Their Formulas," written by Heinrich Begehr and Dajiang Wang and published in the journal Applicable Analysis.
From Science Daily • Jan. 7, 2026
“That’s why you see a rise in all of these groups,” says Siddhesh Zadey, a Ph.D. student at Columbia University who co-founded the India-based think tank the Association for Socially Applicable Research.
From Science Magazine • May 3, 2024
Applicable furniture must now conduct three safety tests in order to comply with federal regulations.
From Washington Times • Apr. 26, 2023
Applicable, but not restricted, is how I read that, so hopefully the app and service will be available for owners of any old appliance to try.
From The Verge • Dec. 29, 2021
Applicable to those who have formed a useless habit.
From Life and Literature Over two thousand extracts from ancient and modern writers, and classified in alphabetical order by Richardson, John Purver
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.
