programmable

American  

[proh-gram-uh-buhl, proh-gram-] / ˈproʊ græm ə bəl, proʊˈgræm- /

Or programable

adjective

1. capable of being programmed.

---

noun

1. an electronic device, as a calculator or telephone, that can be programmed to perform specific tasks.

programmable British  

/ prəʊˈɡræməbəl /

adjective

1. (esp of a device or operation) capable of being programmed for automatic operation or computer processing

---

Other Word Forms

• programmability
  noun
• nonprogrammable
  adjective
• reprogrammable
  adjective
• unprogrammable
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of programmable

First recorded in 1955–60; program + -able

Example Sentences

Some of its use cases include programmable treasury operations, real-time liquidity management and cross-border payments.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026

These purpose-built technologies include programmable liquid-cooling and rack-control appliances.

From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026

The chips are programmable, Intel said, and help with efficiency “and enabling more predictable performance” in hyperscaler AI data centers.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 9, 2026

This could lead to medicines that behave like programmable systems, capable of making more advanced decisions inside the body.

From Science Daily • Apr. 2, 2026

Babbage designed schematics for a programmable computer, something that could process mathematical equations in place of the human mind.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel