What does tellable mean?
“Tellable” is an adjective with two closely related uses. It can mean that something is capable of being recounted or communicated, although that sense is relatively uncommon. More often, it means that something is interesting, remarkable, or entertaining enough to be worth telling others: a tellable story has a detail or turn that holds attention and prompts conversation. The word’s force lies in its suggestion of narrative value rather than mere truth. Something may be accurate without being tellable, and a subject may be tellable without being especially factual. The expression is natural but not especially frequent in everyday English, and it tends to sound more conversational than formal. It is useful when distinguishing ordinary information from a story people would actually want to hear and pass on.
Worthy of being told; interesting or entertaining enough to recount.
"They arrived late with a wonderfully tellable explanation for the delay."
This is the more common sense and is especially natural with “story,” “tale,” and “account.”
Capable of being told or recounted.
"The message was so garbled that it was scarcely tellable."
This sense is less common and often suggests that a story or account can be conveyed clearly enough to be worth hearing.
A story can be reportable and still not tellable—the difference is whether it is worth repeating.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does tellable come from?
Tellable was formed in English from the verb “tell” and the adjective-forming suffix “-able,” which comes ultimately from Latin “-abilis.” “Tell” descends from Old English “tellan,” meaning “to relate or recount,” and ultimately from a Proto-Germanic and Indo-European root associated with recounting or relating. English relatives sharing this root include “tale,” “teller,” and the compound “telltale.”
Related word forms
How tellable is actually used
Tellable is uncommon and generally conversational. Its more frequent sense emphasizes narrative appeal rather than the mere possibility of telling something.
Easily confused with tellable
Tellable describes something worth or able to be recounted, whereas telltale means revealing or serving as evidence of something.