What does expiable mean?
Expiable is a formal adjective meaning capable of being atoned for — applied to a sin, offense, or wrongdoing that can be made right through penance, sacrifice, apology, or reparative action. It derives from the Latin verb expiare, 'to purify by sacrifice,' formed on the same root as pius ('devout'), which also gives English such words as pious and expiate. In ancient Roman religion, expiating an offense meant ritually cleansing the taint it left on a person or community; the modern adjective preserves that sense of a wrong that is serious but not beyond remedy. The word appears almost exclusively in elevated registers — theology, moral philosophy, literary criticism, and classical scholarship — where it carries a hopeful connotation: to call a fault expiable is to insist that guilt can be discharged and reconciliation achieved. Its natural opposite is inexpiable, describing a wrong that no rite or repentance can ever cancel.
adjectiveCapable of being atoned for or made right through an act of penance, sacrifice, or reparation; said especially of a sin, wrong, or offense.
- Of a sin, offense, or wrongdoing: able to be atoned for or cleansed by penance, sacrifice, or reparation.
"The elders judged his transgression expiable, provided he perform the prescribed rite of purification."
"To the theologians, no sin against the Holy Spirit was expiable by human means alone."
"Her remorse suggested that even this betrayal might be expiable, given time and honest amends."
In ancient Rome, 'expiare' literally meant to purify something tainted by sacrifice — so an expiable offense was one you could literally burn away with the right ritual.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of expiable
Expiable comes from the Latin adjective expiabilis, derived from the verb expiare, 'to purify or atone for by ritual sacrifice.' The Latin root is piare, connected to pius, meaning devout or dutiful toward gods and family, making the word a cousin of pious and piety. It entered English via post-classical Latin in the early modern period, around the early 17th century, alongside the related noun expiation and verb expiate.
Related word forms
How expiable is actually used
A formal, learned word found chiefly in religious, moral-philosophical, and literary contexts; rare in everyday conversation. It is most often used in theological discussion of sin and in classical studies describing ritual purification.
Easily confused with expiable
Explicable means capable of being explained or accounted for, while expiable means capable of being atoned for.