soluble
Americanadjective
-
capable of being dissolved or liquefied.
a soluble powder.
-
capable of being solved or explained.
a soluble problem.
noun
adjective
-
(of a substance) capable of being dissolved, esp easily dissolved in some solvent, usually water
-
capable of being solved or answered
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of soluble
1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin solūbilis, equivalent to Latin solū-, variant stem of solvere to loosen, dissolve + -bilis -ble
Explanation
Sugar is soluble. It dissolves easily in water. You can also use the word to describe a problem that can be solved easily. How are the two definitions of soluble related? When you dissolve something in a liquid, the combination is known as a solvent or a solution. All of these "sol-" words descend from the Latin word that means loosen or unfasten. When you dissolve something in water, you loosen the molecules. And if you think of a problem like a knot, to solve it is to loosen it up.
Vocabulary lists containing soluble
Matter and Energy
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Nutrition - Middle School
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Matter and Energy 2: Properties of Matter, Chemical Reactions, and Energy
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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.
Soluble fiber — found in things like oats and lentils — dissolves in water, slows digestion and helps lower some cholesterol, Shelke said.
From MarketWatch • May 10, 2026
Soluble fiber dissolves in water and slows digestion, while insoluble fiber helps move waste through the digestive tract.
From Science Daily • Mar. 8, 2026
Soluble fibers tend to add thickness and a creamy component, which is preferable when making a latte.
From Salon • Jan. 17, 2026
Earlier this month, Lacework agreed to buy Soluble, a cloud infrastructure management startup, to increase the automation capacity of its platform.
From Reuters • Nov. 18, 2021
Production of Soluble Carbohydrates.—Flour contains naturally a small amount of soluble carbohydrates, which are readily acted upon by the alcoholic ferments.
From Human Foods and Their Nutritive Value by Snyder, Harry
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.
