What does admittable mean?
"Admittable" is a relatively uncommon English adjective meaning capable of being admitted — whether that means allowed into a place, accepted into an institution, or received as valid evidence or testimony. It derives from the verb "admit," which traces back through Latin "admittere," meaning to let in or allow to approach, combined with the suffix "-able," indicating fitness or capacity. In practice, the word carries a formal register and appears most often in legal, academic, or institutional writing, where something must be judged worthy of acceptance. A defendant might argue that certain documents are admittable at trial, or a university might specify which qualifications make an applicant admittable. However, in nearly all such contexts the standard word is "admissible," which dominates legal usage so thoroughly that "admittable" can strike readers as unusual or archaic. Knowing "admittable" is useful chiefly for recognizing it in older texts and understanding its precise relationship to its more common sibling.
adjectiveCapable of being admitted; allowable or permissible for entry, acceptance, or acknowledgment.
- Capable of being admitted or allowed to enter (a place, institution, or category).
- Legally or formally acceptable, especially as evidence or proof.
"The committee ruled that the newly discovered documents were admittable as evidence."
"Only students meeting the language requirement are admittable to the program."
"Counsel argued the recording was admittable under the exception to the hearsay rule."
In courtrooms you'll almost always hear "admissible," but "admittable" is its older, quieter cousin — same Latin root, a fraction of the fame.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of admittable
"Admittable" comes from the verb "admit," borrowed into Middle English from Latin "admittere," formed from "ad-" (to, toward) plus "mittere" (to send or let go), with the original sense of letting someone in or allowing them to approach. The adjective suffix "-able" was added to form a word meaning fit to be admitted. It shares this Latin root with "admission," "admissible," and "admittance." The word has been in use since at least the early modern period but never achieved the currency of "admissible."
How admittable is actually used
"Admittable" is rare and largely literary or legal in flavor; "admissible" is strongly preferred in modern legal and general usage. When used, it most often appears in formal contexts concerning entry, acceptance, or evidentiary status.
Easily confused with admittable
"Admissible" is the standard, far more common term for evidence or candidates that may be accepted, while "admittable" is a rarer variant emphasizing capability of being admitted.