labile

American  

[ley-bahyl, -buhl] / ˈleɪ baɪl, -bəl /

adjective

1. apt or likely to change.

   the labile nature of language.

2. (in chemistry, biology, psychiatry, etc.) able or likely to change or break down easily, rapidly, or continually; unstable.

   labile emotions;

   labile blood pressure;

   cellular functions that seem to require different levels of labile zinc.

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labile British  

/ ˈleɪbɪl, ləˈbɪlɪtɪ /

adjective

1. chem (of a compound) prone to chemical change

2. liable to change or move

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Other Word Forms

• lability
  noun

Etymology

Origin of labile

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English labil “(of the mind) wandering, forgetful,” from Latin lābilis “sliding, slipping, (of verse) smooth-flowing,” equivalent to Latin lāb(ī) “to slip” + -ilis -ile

Explanation

Labile is an adjective used to describe something that is easily or frequently changed. Radioactive elements, such as uranium or plutonium, are labile. It is this lability that makes them unstable and dangerous. From the Latin verb lābī, "to slide or slip," labile is often found in a technical context, especially in science, to refer to some sort of instability. For example, in chemistry, a compound that can be easily broken down by heat is called labile. The term can also be used in psychology to describe someone who is emotionally unstable.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

labile

Someone with high IIV might be considered an emotionally labile person.

From Scientific American ● Apr. 5, 2023

Anna says to herself, “Psychopath. The superficial charm, the labile personality, the flat affect.”

From The New Yorker ● Feb. 4, 2019

Mr. Bowie’s voice was similarly labile — gliding between ragged cackle and haunting croon as he sang about decaying cities and alienated rock stars.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 11, 2016

But where Cosmopolis was coldly cerebral, is emotionally labile to the point of hysteria, with a tone that careens from sentimentality to bitterness to cheekiness to despair.

From Slate ● Oct. 19, 2012

When the adrenals fail, as they do readily in these labile adrenocentrics, it is as if the adrenals were cut out of the body.

From The Glands Regulating Personality by Berman, Louis, M.D.