Question

Which of the following words uses the Latin suffix -able in the same way as uncomfortable from paragraph 27 of Kindertransport?

Answer 1

D. uncharitable.

The suffix -able, borrowed from Old French and originally from the Latin -ābilis (meaning "worthy of being acted upon"), can have different meanings.

The most common one is "fit/liable to be (done)," as in:

• likeable - fit to be liked
• washable - fit to be washed
• degradable - liable to be degraded.

This, however, does not apply to comfortable. Another meaning of -able, however, is "giving, or inclined to," as in:

• comfortable - giving comfort
• (un)charitable - (not) inclined to charity.