divisible

[dih-viz-uh-buhl]

adjective

1. capable of being divided.

2. Mathematics.

   1. capable of being evenly divided, divide, without remainder.

   2. of or relating to a group in which given any element and any integer, there is a second element that when raised to the integer equals the first element.

divisible

/ dɪˈvɪzəbəl /

adjective

1. capable of being divided, usually with no remainder

Other Word Forms

• divisibleness noun
• divisibly adverb
• nondivisible adjective
• undivisible adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of divisible¹

1545–55; (< Anglo-French ) < Late Latin dīvīsibilis, equivalent to Latin dīvīs ( us ), past participle of dīvidere to divide ( dī- di- ² + vīd- (variant stem) + -tus past participle suffix) + -ibilis -ible

Example Sentences

If it fails, Myanmar faces economic ruin reminiscent of 1987, when dictator Ne Win voided all bank notes in denominations not divisible by his lucky number 9, wiping out citizens’ savings overnight.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Newman also found that some age databases contain unusual numbers of people born on the first day of the month or on dates divisible by five, suggesting many of these birth dates are fabricated.

Read more on Science Magazine

This is patently false: you can recognize numbers divisible by 3 because their digits total a number divisible by 3.

Read more on Scientific American

Twenty-seven steps, divisible by three, a good number.

Read more on Literature

What if we no longer thought of the world as so blithely divisible?

Read more on New York Times