perfectible

[ per-fek-tuh-buhl ]

adjective

1. capable of becoming or of being made perfect; improvable.

perfectible

/ pəˈfɛktəbəl /

adjective

1. capable of becoming or being made perfect

Derived Forms

• perˌfectiˈbility, noun

Other Words From

• per·fecti·bil·ist noun
• per·fecti·bili·ty noun
• nonper·fecti·bili·ty noun
• nonper·fecti·ble adjective
• self-per·fecti·bili·ty noun
• unper·fecti·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of perfectible¹

1625–35; < French < Medieval Latin perfectibilis. See perfect, -ible

Example Sentences

We in our land of optimists like to believe our species is perfectible.

From The Daily Beast

Neither markets nor government are perfectible; the best we're going to get is ones that work pretty well most of the time.

From The Daily Beast

But this work is perfectible and it contains in its constitution even the principles of its perfectibility.

From Project Gutenberg

Man is not a perfectible animal; not on this side of eternity.

From Project Gutenberg

Scientific truths are infinitely perfectible, but never absolute.

From Project Gutenberg

He is perfectible, seeks after improvement, and shuns deterioration.

From Project Gutenberg

You pretend man's perfectible, that woman's got a capacity for disinterested self-sacrifice.

From Project Gutenberg