What does devisable mean?
Devisable is an adjective meaning capable of being devised — that is, thought up, contrived, or worked out. It can describe anything from a plan or solution to a machine or strategy that could plausibly be created by ingenuity. The word carries a second, specialized life in law, where it refers to property that may legally be transferred to heirs through a will; under traditional English property law, for instance, certain interests in land were devisable while others passed only by descent. In everyday usage devisable is uncommon and leans formal, often appearing alongside words like plan, scheme, or means. Its root is the verb devise, which came into English through Old French from the Latin dividere, 'to divide' — the same source as divide and device. Writers seeking a more familiar alternative usually reach for conceivable or imaginable.
Capable of being devised, imagined, or contrived.
"No devisable argument could persuade the board to change course."
Rare outside formal writing; conceivable is the usual everyday choice.
(Law) Of property, especially real estate: capable of being disposed of by will.
"The court confirmed that the estate remained devisable despite the pending litigation."
In a will, your house is 'deviseable' property but your car is not — the word draws a centuries-old line between what passes by deed and what passes by death.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of devisable
Devisable derives from the verb devise, which entered Middle English in the medieval period from Old French deviser, ultimately tracing back to the Latin dividere, 'to divide or distribute.' The suffix -able forms adjectives expressing capability, so devisable literally means 'able to be devised.' Its Latin cousins include divide, dividend, and individual. The adjective has been used in both general and legal English since at least the early modern period, with its legal sense tied to the development of the law of wills.
Related word forms
How devisable is actually used
The general sense is rare and somewhat formal or literary; the word appears far more often in legal contexts relating to wills and estates, where it is also commonly spelled 'deviseable'. Outside law, writers often prefer conceivable or imaginable.
Easily confused with devisable
Divisible means capable of being divided into parts, while devisable means capable of being devised (contrived) or, in law, bequeathed by will.
Devious describes someone dishonest or indirect in behavior, whereas devisable simply means something that can be devised or planned.