What does weatherable mean?
Weatherable is a rare adjective meaning susceptible to the damaging or altering effects of weather. It is especially associated with geology, where one may speak of weatherable rocks, minerals, or sediments, as well as with conservation and materials science. A highly weatherable substance may deteriorate, erode, discolor, or weaken when exposed to rain, wind, sunlight, frost, or temperature changes. The word is occasionally encountered more generally, but it remains uncommon in everyday speech. It should not be confused with weather-resistant or weatherproof, which describe materials capable of enduring exposure to the weather. Its technical character and relative rarity distinguish it from simpler expressions such as exposed or easily worn away. Although the word can look like an unusual combination, its meaning follows transparently from its structure: weatherable material is material that can be weathered, or acted upon by the weather.
adjectiveLiable to be altered, eroded, or otherwise affected by exposure to the weather; especially used of rocks, minerals, materials, and surfaces susceptible to weathering.
- Liable to be altered, eroded, or otherwise affected by exposure to the weather, especially of rocks, minerals, materials, or surfaces.
"The sandstone is highly weatherable and has begun to crumble along the exposed face."
"Engineers tested the sandstone to determine how weatherable it was under repeated freeze-thaw conditions."
"Conservators found the exposed stone to be weatherable and recommended replacing the deteriorated joints."
The key is direction: weatherable means the weather can act on it, not that it can survive the weather.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does weatherable come from?
Weatherable was formed in English from weather and the productive suffix -able, which ultimately comes from Latin -abilis, meaning “able” or “liable to be.” Weather itself descends from Old English weder, referring to air, atmosphere, or the conditions of the atmosphere. The related forms weathered and weathering share the same base and denote exposure to, or the process and result of, weather-related change.
Related word forms
How weatherable is actually used
Rare and chiefly technical, particularly in geology, conservation, and materials science. It should not be used to mean able to withstand the weather; use weather-resistant or weatherproof for that sense.
Easily confused with weatherable
Weathered describes something that has already been altered by exposure to the weather, whereas weatherable describes something susceptible to that alteration.
Weather-resistant material withstands exposure to the weather, while weatherable material is liable to be affected by it.