What does registrable mean?
Registrable means capable of being officially registered. Its most common modern use is in trademark law, where a registrable trademark or trade mark is one that satisfies the legal requirements for inclusion on the relevant register. Being registrable does not by itself mean that registration has been granted; it indicates that the mark is legally eligible, although an application may still be examined, opposed, or refused. The word is also used more generally for names, designs, businesses, or other things that can be entered on an official list. In everyday discussion, “registerable” is sometimes used instead, but “registrable” is the more standard form in legal and official contexts. The term is especially useful when distinguishing eligibility from the separate practical steps involved in obtaining and maintaining registration.
adjectiveCapable of being registered, especially with an official authority. The term is used particularly in trademark law to describe a sign or mark that satisfies the legal requirements for registration.
- Capable of being entered on an official register, especially as a trademark or business name.
- Capable of being registered or recorded in a broader administrative or technical sense.
"The company sought protection for its name as a registrable trademark."
"The court ruled that the device was not a registrable trademark because it lacked distinctiveness."
"The name was considered registrable in the country where the organization planned to operate."
A trademark may be used without registration, but it becomes a registrable trademark only when it meets the legal criteria required by the relevant authority.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does registrable come from?
Registrable was formed in English by combining the existing word “register” with the suffix “-able,” meaning “capable of being” or “liable to be.” “Register” comes through Old French from Latin registrāre, a term associated with recording or enrolling something in an official list. The same Latin foundation also underlies related English words such as registration, registry, and registrar.
Related word forms
How registrable is actually used
Registrable is primarily formal and legal. In trademark usage, it refers to a mark that is legally eligible for registration, not necessarily to one whose application has already been approved.
Easily confused with registrable
Both forms can mean capable of being registered, but registrable is the more usual standard term, especially in trademark and company law.