What does "desirable" mean?

1. (wanted or useful) having qualities that make people want it; worth having or doing. 2. (sexually attractive) physically or sexually attractive. 3. (a wanted thing) a person or thing that is wanted or considered attractive.

desirable

adj. · n.

US //dɪˈzaɪɝəbəɫ// UK //dɪzˈaɪəɹəbəl// de·sir·able

1 wanted or useful (adj.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

having qualities that make people want it; worth having or doing.

possessing qualities that make a particular thing or action attractive, useful, or advisable.

Example

The house is in a very desirable location near the park and the train station.

Example

While the proposed changes are highly desirable from a technical standpoint, the financial costs may prove prohibitive for the local council.
- attractive
- advantageous
- sought after
- undesirable
- unwanted
2 sexually attractive (adj.)
C1 Advanced Formal

physically or sexually attractive.

arousing or tending to arouse sexual desire.

Example

The magazine features articles on how to feel more confident and desirable.

Example

The marketing campaign relied heavily on the assumption that consumers would associate the fragrance with being more socially and physically desirable.
- alluring
- attractive
- repulsive

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3 a wanted thing (n.)
C2 Proficiency Formal Literary

a person or thing that is wanted or considered attractive.

a person or thing that is considered to be desirable or worth having.

Example

The shop was full of expensive desirables that I could never afford.

Example

The auction house specialised in the sale of rare desirables, ranging from antique watches to first-edition manuscripts.
- asset
- prize

Origin

From Old French desirable. Morphologically desire + -able.