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.
Spirit said it is “engaging a third party to deidentify the data and certify that the data sold at auction is compliant with applicable privacy laws and regulations.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
In that case, beneficiaries may generally use the 10-year rule, take distributions under another applicable method, or take a lump-sum distribution.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026
“Every decision is made with careful consideration and appropriately reviewed to make sure that any technology ICE utilizes is consistent with all applicable law enforcement policies and standards,” the department said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
The researchers also developed a systematic and broadly applicable framework for connecting the physical structure of brain cells with what those cells are capable of computing.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 13, 2026
West African music also integrates literature, movement, body percussion, rhyme, and music, so the Orff approach is probably the most applicable teaching method.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
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.
