visible
Americanadjective
-
that can be seen; perceptible to the eye.
mountains visible in the distance.
- Synonyms:
- discernible
-
apparent; manifest; obvious.
a man with no visible means of support.
- Synonyms:
- evident, discernible
-
being constantly or frequently in the public view; conspicuous.
a visible political position.
-
noting or pertaining to a system of keeping records or information on cards or sheets in such a way that the desired reference can be brought instantly to view.
a visible index.
-
Commerce.
-
available or accessible; already existing, as goods in a warehouse or in transit as opposed to goods in production.
visible supply.
-
involving actual goods that have been recorded or accounted for.
visible trade.
-
-
prepared or converted for visual presentation; represented visually.
adjective
-
capable of being perceived by the eye
-
capable of being perceived by the mind; evident
no visible dangers
-
available
the visible resources
-
(of an index or file) using a flexible display system for the contents
-
of or relating to the balance of trade
visible transactions
-
represented by visible symbols
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of visible
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Latin vīsibilis, from vīs(us) “seen” ( see vision) + -ibilis -ible
Explanation
If you describe something as visible, you are saying you can see it. Certain things are not visible to the naked eye, but that doesn't mean they are invisible, you may just need a microscope or telescope to see them. The adjective visible also means obvious to the eye. You'd use this sense if you want to point out obvious flaws in an object such as a car with visible dents and scratches. A third meaning for the adjective is easily available or accessible: You may try to be a visible presence in your kids' lives — although sometimes they would prefer that you blend into the woodwork — so that they know they can count on you and come to you with any problem.
Vocabulary lists containing visible
Common Senses: Vid, Vis ("See")
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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.
What’s changed, Pardilla said, is how visible and socially acceptable those choices have become.
From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026
The drought is particularly visible in the southern and eastern provinces, where the grass has turned the colour of straw and the Rhine this summer reached the lowest level ever recorded there.
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
His op-ed reminded me of going to Nantucket on March 7, 1970, for a total eclipse visible only on that island.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
Answering those questions could help researchers estimate how large Neptune's original moons were and better understand the dramatic sequence of events that transformed the planet's satellite system into the one visible today.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 14, 2026
It’s all blurred edges and smoke, without a single visible brushstroke.
From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day
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.
