desirable

/dɪˈzaɪɹəbəl/dih-ZIGH-ruh-buhl

/dɪˈzaɪɹəbəl/dih-ZIGH-ruh-buhl

Meaningable to be wished for

Common meaning: wanted

Other meanings: worth having

dedown, away, off; undoing
sira star, constellationLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 1695 · scan
ableable to be

‘down, away, off’ + ‘a star, constellation’ → desirable

Journey through time

Latinsīdus, sīderis‘a star, constellation’
Old Frenchdesirersource
Middle Englishdesyrensource
Englishdesire‘to want strongly’
Englishformed in English from desiredesirable‘wanted’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Formed in English from desire + -able.

Dictionary: Skeat (1898), DESIRE, p.162 · scan

Roots

sīdus, sīderis Latin “a star, constellation”

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