convertible

American  

[kuhn-vur-tuh-buhl] / kənˈvɜr tə bəl /

adjective

1. capable of being converted.

2. having a folding top, as an automobile or pleasure boat.

3. exchangeable for something of equal value.

   debts payable only in convertible currencies.

---

noun

convertibles plural

1. an automobile or a boat with a folding top.

2. a sofa, couch, or chair whose seating section can be folded out into a bed.

3. Finance. a convertible bond or security.

convertible British  

/ kənˈvɜːtəbəl /

adjective

1. capable of being converted

2. (of a car) having a folding or removable roof

3. finance

   1. a bond or debenture that can be converted to ordinary or preference shares on a fixed date at a fixed price

   2. (of a paper currency) exchangeable on demand for precious metal to an equivalent value

   3. able to be converted into a longer term mortgage without financial penalty

---

noun

1. a car with a folding or removable roof

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• convertibility
  noun
• convertibleness
  noun
• nonconvertibility
  noun
• nonconvertibleness
  noun
• unconvertibility
  noun
• unconvertibleness
  noun
• nonconvertible
  adjective
• unconvertible
  adjective
• convertibly
  adverb
• nonconvertibly
  adverb
• unconvertibly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• convertibles
  plural

Etymology

Origin of convertible

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Medieval Latin word convertibilis. See convert ¹, -ible

Explanation

If it starts to rain while you’re riding in a convertible car with the top down, you can always put the top back up. Convertible is an adjective that means “capable of changing from one form to another.” Something that is convertible can be changed or transformed from one thing to another. Money, for instance, is convertible because it can be changed from one currency to another — for example, from dollars to euros. A sofa bed is convertible because it can be transformed from a sofa into a bed. Likewise, a convertible jacket is a jacket that can be changed (by removing the sleeves or an inner lining) depending on the weather.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

convertible convertibles

The company primarily attributed the quarterly loss to a $328 million fair-value charge on convertible redeemable preferred shares.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026

They also weigh how easily foreigners can trade in a market, how freely money can move and how convertible the currency is.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026

Deputies made contact with Pelosi shortly after the crash when they noticed a California Highway Patrol vehicle parked behind the brown convertible, which was partially blocking a Yountville roadway.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 4, 2026

In 2024, Strategy became one of the largest global convertible bond issuers, raising more than $6.2 billion in a single year to fund its bitcoin buying spree.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026

Better yet, why couldn’t he be a cool detective driving a sleek silver convertible sports car like Will Smith in Bad Boys?

From "Booked" by Kwame Alexander

The Alphabet preferred yields more than 6%, versus 0.2% for the common stock, but the preferred lacks the security of traditional convertibles since it will be converted into Alphabet common in three years.

From Barron's ● Jun. 26, 2026

“What benefits convertible bond issuers: high stock prices, tight credit spreads, and well-supported stock volatility. We have all three of those things right now,” said Michael Youngworth, head of global convertibles strategy at BofA Securities.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 17, 2026

SUVs certainly have the kind of celebrity endorsement convertibles used to enjoy.

From BBC ● Jun. 14, 2026

Mandatory convertible preferred stock “is effectively yield-enhanced common stock,” says Michael Youngworth, head of global convertibles research at BofA Securities.

From Barron's ● Jun. 9, 2026

Others went by in convertibles, off to play tennis or ride horses or sail.

From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez

Related Words

• adaptable