submersible

American  

[suhb-mur-suh-buhl] / səbˈmɜr sə bəl /

adjective

1. capable of being submersed. submersed.

2. capable of functioning while submersed: submersed.

   a submersible pump.

---

noun

1. a ship capable of submerging and operating under water; submarine.

2. a device designed for underwater work or exploration, as a bathyscaphe or diving bell.

submersible British  

/ səbˈmɜːdʒɪbəl, səbˈmɜːsəbəl /

adjective

1. able to be submerged

2. capable of operating under water, etc

---

noun

1. a vessel designed to operate under water for short periods

2. a submarine taking one or more men that is designed and equipped to carry out work in deep water below the levels at which divers can work

Other Word Forms

• nonsubmersible adjective
• submersibility noun
• unsubmersible adjective

Etymology

Origin of submersible

First recorded in 1865–70; submerse + -ible

Example Sentences

When she hits, she’s hilarious: An extended bit about leaving a puddle of her perspiration on a piece of gym equipment involves James Cameron developing a submersible to get to the bottom of it.

From The Wall Street Journal

Earlier this year, China proudly unveiled a submersible that can cut armored cables at a depth of 13,000 feet.

From The Wall Street Journal

The two people survived an attack on a submersible Thursday and were rescued by the U.S. military.

From The Wall Street Journal

OceanGate's Titan submersible imploded on its journey to the wreck of the Titantic because of poor engineering and multiple failures to test the vessel, according to an official report.

From BBC

Flawed engineering and inadequate testing contributed to the catastrophic implosion of a private submersible during a 2023 expedition to the Titanic wreckage, the US National Transportation Safety Board said Wednesday.

From Barron's