What does negotiable mean?
Negotiable describes something that can be discussed, adjusted, or settled through negotiation rather than remaining absolutely fixed. A salary, contract, deadline, price, or settlement may be called negotiable when the parties have room to bargain or compromise. The word is especially common in legal, commercial, financial, and diplomatic contexts, where it can describe terms, instruments, or disputes that are subject to agreement. In ordinary conversation, saying that an issue is negotiable signals openness rather than certainty: it indicates that the final arrangement depends on discussion and may change from the original proposal. The adjective therefore combines a practical meaning about mutability with a social implication of flexibility and willingness to discuss alternatives. It should not be confused with flexible, which is broader and can describe an adaptable person, plan, or material without any specific suggestion of bargaining or contractual revision.
adjectiveCapable of being discussed, changed, or agreed through negotiation. It may also refer to terms or arrangements that can be altered rather than being fixed.
- Capable of being negotiated, discussed, or altered; open to compromise or agreement.
- Designated or treated as subject to negotiation, especially in legal, financial, or commercial contexts.
"The parties reached a negotiable settlement after discussing the disputed terms."
"The original deadline was negotiable, so the committee agreed to postpone it."
"A negotiable instrument can be transferred from one holder to another."
Negotiable means a decision is still open for discussion—not that the outcome is guaranteed.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does negotiable come from?
The adjective entered English in the late eighteenth century through French négociable, from Latin negotiabilis, a form derived from negotium, meaning business, trade, or dealings. The related English words negotiate, negotiation, and negotiator developed through the same Latin and French etymological tradition. In modern usage, the word has broadened from its commercial and legal associations to describe any issue that can be settled through discussion or compromise.
Related word forms
How negotiable is actually used
The term is common in legal, financial, diplomatic, and everyday contexts. It generally indicates that terms remain open to discussion, without implying that a negotiation will necessarily result in a change.
Easily confused with negotiable
A negotiable matter is open to discussion or alteration through negotiation, whereas a flexible arrangement is broadly adaptable and may not involve bargaining.