What does dismissible mean?
Dismissible is a formal adjective meaning capable of being dismissed. Its dominant modern use appears in workplace and legal contexts, where it describes conduct serious enough to justify termination: a dismissible offense is one that can cost an employee their job. The word carries a weighty, consequential tone precisely because it marks the boundary between a forgivable lapse and career-ending misconduct. A secondary, less common sense applies to arguments, objections, or concerns that may legitimately be disregarded or set aside. Derived from the verb dismiss, which traces back through Latin dimittere ("to send away"), dismissible follows the same adjectival pattern as admissible and permissible. Though not frequent in casual conversation, it is precise and useful in professional writing about discipline, contracts, and due process, where clarity about what warrants removal matters.
adjectiveCapable of being dismissed, especially from a job or position; also, able to be disregarded or set aside as unimportant.
- (of an employee or their behavior) serious enough to justify dismissal from a job
- able to be dismissed, disregarded, or set aside
"The tribunal ruled that the employee's conduct was serious enough to be dismissible under company policy."
"Falsifying expense reports is widely treated as a dismissible offense."
"The judge dismissed the argument as a merely dismissible technicality."
In employment law, a "dismissible offense" is the legal tipping point where one bad decision can end a career.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of dismissible
Dismissible derives from the verb dismiss, formed from Latin dimittere, meaning "to send away or let go," combining dis- ("apart") with mittere ("to send"). The adjective was formed in English with the suffix -ible, indicating capability, on the model of related forms such as admissible and permissible. It shares this Latin root mittere with words like remission, missive, and permission.
How dismissible is actually used
The word belongs mainly to formal registers — human resources documents, employment law, and disciplinary policies — and in everyday speech speakers more often say something "is grounds for dismissal" than call it "dismissible". Its secondary sense (capable of being brushed aside) is considerably rarer.
Easily confused with dismissible
"Dismissible" means capable of being dismissed or set aside, while "dismissive" describes an attitude of rejecting or disregarding something or someone as unworthy of attention.