deductible

American  

[dih-duhk-tuh-buhl] / dɪˈdʌk tə bəl /

adjective

1. capable of being deducted.

2. allowable as a tax deduction.

   Charitable contributions are deductible expenses.

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noun

deductibles plural

1. the amount for which the insured is liable on each loss, injury, etc., before an insurance company will make payment.

   The deductible on our medical coverage has been raised from $50 to $100 per illness.

deductible British  

/ dɪˈdʌktɪbəl /

adjective

1. capable of being deducted

2. short for tax-deductible

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noun

1. Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): excess.  insurance a specified contribution towards the cost of a claim, stipulated on certain insurance policies as being payable by the policyholder

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• deductibility
  noun
• nondeductibility
  noun
• nondeductible
  adjective
• undeductible
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• deductibles
  plural

Etymology

Origin of deductible

First recorded in 1855–60; deduct + -ible

Explanation

Deductible can be the amount you have to pay before your health insurance kicks in, or it can mean an amount you can take off your taxes for various payments you have already made. Strange that one deductible can be so friendly and the other one so mean. The Latin deducere, meaning "to derive," eventually became the word deduct, meaning "to take away." In the mid-19th century, the word deductible was born, meaning something "may be deducted." As a noun, a deductible is something you pay, such as your insurance deductible. As an adjective, deductible describes something you can subtract from a total, usually from your taxes. Andy Warhol once said, “Employees make the best dates. You don't have to pick them up and they're always tax-deductible.”

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

deductible deductibles

Also, I live in Florida, where windshield replacement is typically covered without a deductible, but does that matter if the rental was in Maryland?

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026

If the improvement doesn’t boost your home’s value, the full cost could be deductible.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 15, 2026

As the article notes, most claims closed without payment are due to damage falling below the deductible or losses that aren’t covered under standard policies, most notably flooding.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026

Because she had lost her late husband’s health coverage and her own plan had never included fertility benefits, Orrico bought a private insurance policy: $625 a month in premiums and a $10,000 deductible.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 7, 2026

But it helps their image, it’s tax deductible, and the government backs off some.

From "Bodega Dreams" by Ernesto Quinonez

Many people switched to cheaper, higher-deductible plans, but average premium payments still rose 58% and deductibles climbed 37%, or more than US$1,000 per person.

From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2026

That includes $4,700 on housing, including a sub-3% mortgage, homeowners-association fees, utilities and property taxes; $1,150 for prescriptions, copays and deductibles; $1,500 for car insurance and gasoline; and $3,000 for essentials, including food.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026

Medigap policies sit alongside traditional Medicare plans and are optional coverage designed to pay for uncovered costs like copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles.

From Barron's ● Jun. 4, 2026

In addition to premiums, expect to pay deductibles, copayments, coinsurance and prescription-drug costs.

From MarketWatch ● May 30, 2026

The recent catastrophe cost the family a fortune in insurance deductibles.

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman