readable

1 of 2

adjective

read·​able ˈrē-də-bəl 

: able to be read easily: such as

a

: legible

b

: interesting to read

a highly readable novel

readability

ˌrē-də-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

readableness

ˈrē-də-bəl-nəs 

noun

readably

ˈrē-də-blē 

adverb

readability

2 of 2

noun

read·​abil·​i·​ty ˌrē-də-ˈbi-lə-tē 

: the quality or state of being readable

traces our history with skill and readability

—R. L. Duffus

the physical readability of the book is poor because of its heavy, close typography

—Robert Halsband

testing the readability of prose by measuring the length of sentences

—F. L. Mott

improvement in the readability of newspaper writing

—Bruce Westley

Examples of readable in a Sentence

Adjective

The travel guide is very readable.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Digitize Widely, But Structure Narrowly Most material only needs to be readable for AI to use it. — Don Murray, Forbes.com, 28 Sep. 2026

At 500 nits, the screen stays readable indoors or in bright sunlight. — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 28 Sep. 2026

For most devices, data is readable in real-time on a mobile phone. — Crystal Gwizdala, Hartford Courant, 24 Sep. 2026

Each 1080p display also features 1,200-nit brightness for sunlight-readable text and supports touch with gloved or moist fingers. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing readable

• machine-readable

Rhymes for readable

• unreadable

Kids Definition

readable

adjective

read·​able ˈrēd-ə-bəl 

: able to be read easily

readability

ˌrēd-ə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun

readably

-blē 

adverb