practicable

The definition of practicable is something that is useful, or something that is possible to do or put into practice.

(adjective)

An example of practicable is a plan to streamline business operations that is possible to implement.

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See practicable in Webster's New World College Dictionary

adjective

  1. that can be done or put into practice; feasible: a practicable plan
  2. that can be used; usable; useful: a practicable tool

Origin: altered (based on practice) < Fr praticable < pratiquer

Related Forms:

See practicable in American Heritage Dictionary 4

adjective
  1. Capable of being effected, done, or put into practice; feasible. See Synonyms at possible.
  2. Usable for a specified purpose: a practicable way of entry.

Origin:

Origin: Medieval Latin prācticābilis, capable of being used

Origin: , from prācticāre, to practice

Origin: , from prāctica, practice

Origin: , from Greek prāktikē, practical science

Origin: , from

Origin: feminine of prāktikos, fit for action, practical

Origin: , from prāssein, prāk-, to make, do

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Related Forms:

  • pracˌti·ca·bilˈi·ty noun
  • pracˈti·ca·bly adverb
Usage Note: It is easy to confuse practicable and practical because they look so much alike and overlap in meaning. Practicable means “feasible” as well as “usable,” and it cannot be applied to persons. Practical has at least eight meanings, including the sense “capable of being put into effect, useful,” wherein the confusion with practicable arises. But there is a subtle distinction between these words that is worth keeping. For the purpose of ordering coffee in a Parisian café, if would be practical (that is, useful) to learn some French, but it still might not be practicable for someone with a busy schedule and little time to learn.

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