What does emotionable mean?
Emotionable is a rare English adjective describing someone or something that is capable of emotion or readily stirred by feeling. Where 'emotional' typically characterizes the outward display of feelings — an emotional speech, an emotional reunion — 'emotionable' points inward, to the capacity itself: an emotionable person is one who can feel, and often feels deeply and easily. The word is formed from 'emotion' with the suffix '-able', on the model of adjectives like 'questionable' and 'reasonable'. It appears chiefly in literary and formal writing, and it can carry a faintly archaic or poetic tone; in ordinary speech and prose, 'sensitive' or 'emotional' would usually serve instead. Its rarity is precisely what makes it useful to writers seeking precision or elegance, allowing them to distinguish a temperament prone to feeling from a moment filled with it. Though uncommon today, it has been part of the language since at least the early modern period.
Capable of emotion or easily moved by feelings.
"An emotionable temperament made him quick to laugh and quicker still to weep."
Literary and somewhat rare; 'emotional' is preferred in general usage.
Susceptible to emotional influence; responsive to sentiment.
"Young readers are especially emotionable, taking the sorrows of fictional characters to heart."
Often applied to children, animals, or temperaments regarded as impressionable.
Rare enough that most spellcheckers flag it, 'emotionable' is the adjective hiding inside plain old 'emotional' — and it has been quietly in use since at least the seventeenth century.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of emotionable
Emotionable derives from 'emotion', which entered English from French émotion, ultimately from Latin ēmovēre, 'to move out, stir up', from e- ('out') plus movēre ('to move'). The adjective is formed with the Latinate suffix '-able', indicating capacity or susceptibility. It has been attested in English since at least the seventeenth century, though it has always remained a marginal word beside the far more common 'emotional'. It shares its root with 'emotive', 'emote', and 'motion'.
How emotionable is actually used
A rare and somewhat literary word; 'emotional' is the standard choice in everyday usage. 'Emotionable' carries a slightly archaic or bookish flavor and is best reserved for formal or expressive writing where its emphasis on susceptibility to feeling is wanted.
Easily confused with emotionable
'Emotional' describes something characterized by, showing, or relating to emotion, while 'emotionable' describes a person or being as capable of having emotions or readily stirred by them.