WordGarden.ioallocable
C2Pronunciation
UK
US
- /ˈæləkəbəl/
Meanings
Adjective
able to be allocated, assigned, or apportioned
Beyond the definition
Imagine you've baked a delicious pie and have ten friends coming over. That pie is allocable—meaning you can divide it into sensible portions and give each person their share. "Allocable" describes something that can be distributed, assigned, or attributed, often in a planned or proportional way. It is frequently used when talking about resources like money, time, costs, or responsibility (and sometimes nothing is physically split—you’re just deciding what belongs where). A company might determine which expenses are allocable to different departments for accounting purposes. Conversely, a single unique painting can be allocated to one owner, but it isn’t naturally allocable among multiple people unless you adopt a rule (for example, selling it and allocating the proceeds).
The word "allocable" describes something capable of being allocated—that is, distributed, assigned, or attributed to a specific place or purpose. While it often refers to dividing up a limited pool of resources (like a budget), it also implies a system of tracking. If funds are allocable, there is a clear logic deciding how much each person or department receives.
You will frequently encounter "allocable" in business, law, and taxation. In these contexts, it often means "attributable to." For example, overhead costs (like rent and utilities) must be allocable to specific projects to justify billing a client. Similarly, in tax law, income might be allocable to a specific state or country based on where the work was performed.
This distinguishes the word from simply "divisible." A distinct pile of cash is divisible, but it becomes allocable when you have a plan for where it should go. Therefore, if an item or cost can be logically traced, assigned, and apportioned according to a set of rules, it is allocable.
Examples
- 1
Project costs
The auditor asked which costs were allocable to the new project.
- 2
Business expense
Only the allocable portion of the rent can be claimed as a business expense.
- Phraseallocable portion
the part that can be assigned
- 3
Partnership agreement
Under the agreement, each partner pays an allocable share of the maintenance fees.
- Phraseallocable share
the part assigned to each person
See also
Similar
- allocatable
- assignable
- distributable
Shades of meaning
Contrast
- unallocable
- unassigned
Used with (collocations)
- allocable costs
- allocable expenses
- allocable to a project
Word family
Explore
- apportionment
- cost allocation
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- allocableadjective