readable

[ree-duh-buhl]

adjective

1. easy or interesting to read.

2. capable of being read; legible.

   readable handwriting.

3. pertaining to letter mail with addresses and zip codes capable of being read by optical scanning devices.

readable

/ ˈriːdəbəl /

adjective

1. (of handwriting, etc) able to be read or deciphered; legible

2. (of style of writing) interesting, easy, or pleasant to read

Other Word Forms

• readably adverb
• readability noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of readable¹

First recorded in 1560–70; read ¹ + -able

Example Sentences

He began building the book, which grew to have a color-coded system readable at a glance: red for punt, yellow for attempt a field goal and green for go.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

This huge volume is readable in a way that too many collections of writers’ letters, however useful to scholarly research, simply are not.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Early reviews suggest an uneven result: some critics call it “very readable,” while others dismiss it as “a frustrating slog” that leaves both supporters and critics wanting more.

Read more on Salon

The show’s thorough, wonderfully readable catalog refers to the power of “funerary magnificence” in the kingdom’s social structure.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“Jewish Roots” has what a book with a shaky premise needs to still be readable: a voice that never really gets dry.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• absorbing 
• amusing 
• appealing 
• eloquent 
• engaging 
• engrossing 
• enjoyable 
• entertaining 
• enthralling www.thesaurus.com
• fascinating 
• gripping 
• interesting 
• rewarding 
• satisfying www.thesaurus.com
• well-written 
• worthwhile