fallible
Americanadjective
-
(of persons) liable to err, especially in being deceived or mistaken.
-
liable to be erroneous or false; not accurate.
fallible information.
adjective
-
capable of being mistaken; erring
-
liable to mislead
Other Word Forms
- fallibility noun
- fallibleness noun
- fallibly adverb
Etymology
Origin of fallible
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Medieval Latin fallibilis, equivalent to Latin fall(ī) (passive of fallere “to deceive”) + -ibilis -ible
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.
Bentley leveled the playing field by creating a fallible detective against whom the reader could compete.
Director Marc Munden says he hopes those watching the new series get an understanding of how things can "go badly wrong" and how fallible people can be.
From BBC
Yes, United showed Arsenal are fallible and the best defence in the Premier League can make mistakes and give you chances.
From BBC
Every person and system is fallible, but there’s no substitute for instinct — can a robot achieve that kind of intelligence?
From Los Angeles Times
From this place of old age and treatable illness, Julian ruminates on the fallible nature of memory and its role in shaping our identities.
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.
