payable
Americanadjective
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to be paid; due.
a loan payable in 30 days.
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capable of being or liable to be paid.
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Law. imposing an immediate obligation on the debtor.
noun
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an amount, bill, etc., that is to be paid.
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payables, the accounts payable of a business.
Payables are now handled by our computer.
adjective
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(often foll by on) to be paid
payable on the third of each month
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that is capable of being paid
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capable of being profitable
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(of a debt) imposing an obligation on the debtor to pay, esp at once
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of payable
late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at pay 1, -able
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 company ended the first quarter with a record $381.1 billion in cash and Treasury bills, after accounting for a payable for purchasing some of short-term government debt.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026
So if you change the transfer on death or payable on death designations to your grandchildren, that won’t alter the step-up.
From MarketWatch • May 28, 2026
This whistlestop tour of key locations in Eric's early life and career will set off from the comedian's statue on the promenade and attendees will be charged £2 per person, payable on departure.
From BBC • May 14, 2026
The company’s audit committee declared a second-quarter cash dividend of 31 cents a share, payable on June 12 to shareholders of record as of May 29.
From Barron's • Apr. 29, 2026
The contract provided that all monies accruing to Malcolm X “shall be made payable by the agent to ‘Muhammad’s Mosque No. 2,’ ” but Malcolm X felt this was insufficient.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
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.
