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.

---

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

---

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

Auto liability and medical claims may be closed without payment for a variety of reasons, including damage that falls below the deductible or an accident investigation that reveals those involved aren’t injured.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

It streamlined income tax brackets, lowered the top rate to 36% and created the universally deductible Individual Retirement Account.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

Seniors who enroll in traditional Medicare fee-for-service also have a $1,736 deductible for inpatient hospital care, steep cost-sharing requirements and no limit on out-of-pocket spending.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026

It’s available to people who aren’t on Medicare and who have a health-insurance plan with a high deductible — over $1,700 for individuals or $3,400 for families.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026

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

From "Bodega Dreams" by Ernesto Quinonez

Americans are paying more out of pocket for healthcare in the form of deductibles, copayments and coinsurance, as well as expenses not covered by their insurance, according to federal data.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026

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

At issue is the 20% share of Medicare costs that enrollees have to pay for medical services after they’ve met any deductibles.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 27, 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

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

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman