English Reference
adjective

usable

adj.
US /ˈjuzəbəɫ/ UK /jˈuːzəbəl/ us·able

  1. 01 B1 Intermediate

    in a good enough condition to be used for its purpose.

    capable of being used; functional and not broken or exhausted.

    Simple

    The old bicycle is still usable even though it has some rust on the frame.

    In context

    After the storm, the engineers assessed which parts of the bridge remained usable and which required immediate structural reinforcement.

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate Computing

    easy and practical for a person to use or understand.

    exhibiting high usability; designed in a way that is intuitive for the end user.

    Simple

    The new app is much more usable than the previous version.

    In context

    The software update focused on making the interface more usable for non-technical staff by simplifying the navigation menu.


From Old French usable, from the verb user (“to use”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Old French usable
Level B1 · Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated