collapsible
Americanadjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of collapsible
Explanation
Something that can be folded down into a manageable size is said to be collapsible, i.e., able to be collapsed. It is used as an adjective, as in "He folded up the collapsible table and put it in his car." Collapsible is formed from the verb collapse, which comes from the Latin collāpsus, "fallen together." This makes sense, since something that is collapsible "falls" into a tighter, more compact size or shape. Of course, anything that is able to fall can be considered collapsible, but the word refers more to something that is intentionally made to fall, rather than something like a rickety building that might collapse.
Vocabulary lists containing collapsible
Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -able, -ible
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-ible
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co-, col-
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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.
Her board was also padded, which reduced damage to fabrics and helped prevent garment creases during ironing, and it was collapsible, enabling easy storage.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 9, 2026
Under Plan B, the four astronauts are using personal reusable containers called "collapsible contingency urine disposal devices."
From Barron's ● Apr. 9, 2026
We also had collapsible shovels to help us dig if we were lucky enough to find our friend.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 20, 2025
In the 1840s, he invented a collapsible tube of tin in which to put his paint, rather than the pig bladders he and his counterparts had been struggling with for years, according to Finlay.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 19, 2023
The pots and knives, the tent and hatchet, the collapsible brass spyglass, all of Nin’s belongings came clattering out in a burst of noise.
From "The Reader" by Traci Chee
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.
