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
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(of handwriting, print, etc) able to be read or deciphered
-
able to be discovered; discernible
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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.
The documents were badly degraded but the issue date on the passport was legible.
From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026
On paper, they overlap on a lot—especially on affordability, a centerpiece of his campaign—but McMorrow is more legible to party leadership: governing experience, institutional familiarity, stronger fundraising.
From Slate • Apr. 29, 2026
“The Drama” has proven controversial and has been criticized as too thinly written by some viewers and critics who want answers and meaning laid out in legible, didactic lessons built into the script.
From Salon • Apr. 9, 2026
For Justin Gausman, who co-hosts TCBCast, a podcast devoted to Presley, one of the movie’s triumphs is that it makes the singer’s “artistic process legible and accessible to anyone.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 24, 2026
He studied the letter and the few legible words that remained.
From "Beyond the Bright Sea" by Lauren Wolk
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.
