colorable

[ kuhl-er-uh-buhl ]

/ ˈkʌl ər ə bəl /

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adjective

capable of being colored.

seemingly valid, true, or genuine; plausible.

pretended; deceptive.

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Origin of colorable

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at color, -able

col·or·a·bil·i·ty, col·or·a·ble·ness, nouncol·or·a·bly, adverbnon·col·or·a·bil·i·ty, nounnon·col·or·a·ble, adjective

non·col·or·a·ble·ness, nounnon·col·or·a·bly, adverbpre·col·or·a·ble, adjectiveun·col·or·a·ble, adjectiveun·col·or·a·bly, adverb

Sports satisfy these requirements of substantial futility together with a colorable make-believe of purpose.
The Theory of the Leisure Class|Thorstein Veblen
What colorable reason could be assigned, in a country so situated, for such vast augmentations of the military force?
The Federalist Papers|Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison
If he asks, I shall contrive to find some colorable pretext, probably that you were jealous of me!
Letters of Two Brides|Honore de Balzac
For no colorable dede or deceytful trompery can serue the excuse of any notable wyckednesse.
The Palace of Pleasure|William Painter

Men were also harassed with informations of intrusion upon scarce colorable titles.
The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.I., Part C.|David Hume