legible
Americanadjective
-
capable of being read or deciphered, especially with ease, as writing or printing; easily readable.
-
capable of being discerned or distinguished.
Anger was legible in his looks and behavior.
adjective
-
(of handwriting, print, etc) able to be read or deciphered
-
able to be discovered; discernible
Other Word Forms
- legibility noun
- legibly adverb
- unlegible adjective
Etymology
Origin of legible
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin legibilis; equivalent to leg(ere) “to read” + -ibilis -ible
Explanation
Legible describes readable print or handwriting. If someone tells you that your writing looks like "chicken scratch," it might not be legible, except to other chickens. Legible goes back to the Latin word legibilis, meaning "that can be read." If you can read someone's handwriting, it is legible. The person might not have perfect penmanship, but if you decipher the letters, the writing is legible. People's signatures are especially notorious for not being legible — that's why we often must print or type our names below.
Vocabulary lists containing legible
TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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Unit 4: Powerful Openings
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The Marvels
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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.
Its opening sequence is both graceful and conspicuous; its exposition is entirely legible, yet so very charming that its plainness doesn’t matter one bit.
From Salon • Feb. 28, 2026
A "for sale" sign is barely legible at the top, its letters faded by sun and salt air.
From Barron's • Jan. 29, 2026
The figures’ gestures and facial expressions are instantly legible.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 29, 2025
Though the paper was wet, both letters were still legible, so Ms Brown began tracking down the soldiers' families in order to pass them on.
From BBC • Oct. 29, 2025
Aristotle and Ptolemy had assumed that the heavens were mathematically legible, and indeed Ptolemy had devised techniques for reading them.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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.
