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

Ancora offers a much more affordable waterfront lifestyle for those buyers who are priced out of South Florida’s more saturated markets.

From MarketWatch

Its aim is to support the local community in different ways, including providing access to affordable food supplies.

From BBC

Flying in Polaris was a splurge, albeit a relatively affordable one.

From The Wall Street Journal

Liquefied natural gas’s reputation as a secure and affordable fuel is taking a hit.

From The Wall Street Journal

“There has been support from the DoW to increase production and delivery of exquisite weapons systems, but going forward we expect new-entrants and affordable systems to be prioritized.”

From Barron's

Related Words

• cheap
• economical