alienable

American  

[eyl-yuh-nuh-buhl, ey-lee-uh-] / ˈeɪl yə nə bəl, ˈeɪ li ə- /

adjective

Law.

1. capable of being sold or transferred.

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alienable British  

/ ˈeɪlɪə-, ˈeɪljənəbəl /

adjective

1. law (of property) transferable to another owner

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Usage

What does alienable mean? Yes, alienable is a word, but it’s rarely used. It means able to be sold or transferred.It’s opposite, inalienable, is much more common. Inalienable is used to describe things, especially rights, that cannot be taken away, denied, or transferred to another person.Inalienable means the same thing as unalienable, which is no longer in common use. However, unalienable is closely associated with the phrase unalienable rights due to its appearance in the U.S. Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”Thomas Jefferson actually used inalienable in early drafts of the Declaration of Independence, but the spelling was changed for the final draft. Unalienable was the preferred spelling until around the 1830s, but inalienable has completely replaced it in regular use.Example: We work to make the founders’ words true—that human rights are in no way alienable.

Other Word Forms

• alienability noun

Etymology

Origin of alienable

1605–15; < French, Middle French aliė́nable from aliė́ner “to sell, transfer” from Latin aliēnāre “to transfer by sale” ( alien ) + -able

Example Sentences

It has been established since time immemorial that patents, like other property, are freely alienable and transferrable.

From Nature

Now, think about that, this is a nation where our founding document, the Declaration of Independence talked about certain in alienable rights that come from our creator.

From Time

Like an air guitar, bitcoin is arguably the ultimate form of intangible alienable property.

From Forbes

Capable of being alienated, sold, or transferred to another; as, land is alienable according to the laws of the state.

From Project Gutenberg

Every man may engage his services, and his time; but he cannot sell himself; his person is not an alienable property.

From Project Gutenberg