What does domesticable mean?
"Domesticable" is a formal adjective describing something — most often an animal species — that is capable of being domesticated, meaning it can be tamed, bred in captivity, and adapted to live alongside or serve human beings. The word is central to one of the great questions of history: why were wolves, aurochs, and wild boars domesticable into dogs, cattle, and pigs, while zebras, despite their resemblance to horses, largely resisted every attempt? Scholars of archaeology and biology use the term when weighing traits such as temperament, social structure, and breeding behavior that determine whether a species can make the leap from wild to tame. By extension, the word can describe anything that can be brought under settled, controlled conditions. Though uncommon in everyday speech, "domesticable" is precise and useful wherever the potential for domestication, rather than its accomplished fact, is at issue.
Capable of being domesticated; able to be tamed and adapted to living with or for humans.
"Of all the large herbivores, only a handful proved truly domesticable."
Chiefly used in scholarly and scientific contexts concerning animal husbandry and the history of agriculture.
Extended use: capable of being brought under control or adapted to domestic or settled conditions.
"Some argue that no truly wild spirit, human or otherwise, is entirely domesticable."
Figurative use is rare and usually literary.
For all our success with horses, cattle, and dogs, zebras remain stubbornly outside the club of domesticable animals — and scientists still aren't entirely sure why.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of domesticable
Domesticable derives from Latin domesticus, meaning "of the household" or "belonging to the home," itself from domus, "house." It entered English via the verb domesticate, which was formed from the Latin root with the -ate verbal suffix, combined here with the adjective-forming suffix -able. Its closest relatives include domestic, domesticity, domicile, and dominate — all tracing back ultimately to the Indo-European root *dem-, meaning "house" or "household."
How domesticable is actually used
A relatively rare, formal word used chiefly in zoology, anthropology, and academic writing about animal husbandry and plant cultivation. It is far less common than "domesticated" and typically appears in discussions of why some species were domesticated historically while others were not.
Easily confused with domesticable
"Domesticable" describes a species' potential to be tamed, while "domesticated" describes animals that already have been.