What does liftable mean?
Liftable is an adjective meaning capable of being lifted. It describes a load, object, container, or component that is light, small, or otherwise manageable enough to raise or move. In practical descriptions, the word often emphasizes that a heavy-looking item can be handled without specialist equipment: for example, a box may be described as liftable even if it requires two people. The term is more common in technical, commercial, and industrial contexts than in ordinary conversation, where people are more likely to say that something is “light” or “easy to carry.” Liftable is also distinct from portable: a portable object may be moved from place to place but may still be too heavy to lift easily, whereas a liftable object is specifically capable of being raised.
adjectiveCapable of being lifted; light or manageable enough to be raised, moved, or handled.
- Able to be lifted or raised; not too heavy, large, or awkward to lift.
"The cartons are liftable, but the large crate requires a trolley."
"The packable case is also liftable when it is filled."
"Engineers marked only the smaller sections as liftable."
Not every object that stays on the ground is unliftable: a small table, a suitcase, and even some awkwardly shaped packages can all be liftable.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does liftable come from?
The word is formed in English by adding the suffix -able to the verb lift, meaning “to raise” or “to take upward.” Lift itself has Germanic roots and is related to Old Norse usage associated with raising or lifting. The suffix -able is an English adaptation of a Latin-derived productive suffix indicating that something can be or is capable of being subjected to a particular action.
Related word forms
How liftable is actually used
Relatively uncommon and more typical of technical, industrial, or descriptive writing than of everyday conversation. It usually describes an object, load, component, or material.