perceptible
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of perceptible
From the Late Latin word perceptibilis, dating back to 1545–55. See percept, -ible
Explanation
Something perceptible is noticeable, even if just slightly. A perceptible noise can be heard. You perceive through your senses, and things that are perceptible can be perceived; you can sense them. A flavor is perceptible if you can taste it. A sound is perceptible if you can hear it. The opposite of perceptible is imperceptible, for things that can't be noticed or detected. If you notice a sound, sight, or change, then it must be perceptible.
Vocabulary lists containing perceptible
The Pearl
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Metamorphosis
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Jane Eyre
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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.
On the side were little wheat rolls from The Fresh Market bakery, spread with pats of Kerrygold — a small but perceptible upgrade from the Bunny Bread and Country Crock of a few years earlier.
From Salon ● Sep. 20, 2026
“That’s part of the fun,” Van Hulsen says as she brings over a sterling silver ice cream scoop engraved with “There’s nothing wrong with me that ice cream can’t fix” in barely perceptible cursive.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 28, 2026
It made a small difference, but a barely perceptible one.
From BBC ● Dec. 7, 2025
“The pace of expansion is barely perceptible and highlights persistent weakness in consumer spending and business investment,” Moneyfarm’s Richard Flax says in a note.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2025
A hardly perceptible shiver ran through the stem and up into the branches; the leaves rustled and whispered, but with a sound now of faint and far-off laughter.
From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien
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.
