digestible
B2Pronunciation
UK
- /daɪdʒˈɛstəbəl/
US
- /daɪˈdʒɛstəbəl/
Description
- Easy to understand
- easy to take in
- easy on the stomach
- clear and manageable
- in bite-sized pieces
Something that's digestible isn't just about food. While it literally means easy for your body to break down, it also describes information or ideas that are easy to understand. A complex scientific paper might not be digestible for the average reader, but a children's book explaining the same concept would be. Think of it like this: if you can "swallow" an idea without feeling overwhelmed, it's digestible.
A politician might try to present policies in a more digestible format to win over voters. A good teacher knows how to break down complicated topics into digestible chunks for students. Even jokes need to be digestible—nobody laughs at something they don't understand. And a long report can feel more digestible when it's organized into short sections with clear examples.
Originally, digestible referred specifically to food that your body could easily break down and absorb. Think of a bland broth after being sick—it's easy on the stomach because it's highly digestible. Over time, the word expanded its meaning beyond just physical nourishment.
Now, digestible describes anything that is easily understood or taken in—whether it's information, an idea, data, or even a complex argument. A news article written in plain language is more digestible than one filled with jargon and technical terms. A well-structured presentation with clear visuals can make the content more digestible for the audience.
The key to something being digestible is its simplicity and clarity. It's about presenting information in a way that doesn't overwhelm or confuse, allowing people to easily process and understand it. If you find yourself constantly re-reading a paragraph or asking, "What does this mean?"—chances are the content isn't very digestible!
So, whether we're talking about what your body can handle after a big meal or what your mind can comfortably take in, digestible points to something that's easy to process and understand.
Examples
- 1
Medical diet
After the surgery, she was told to eat light, digestible foods like soup and rice.
- 2
Clear explanation
The book explains economics in clear, digestible language.
- 3
Lesson structure
The teacher broke the lesson into short, digestible sections.
Pattern
break X into + parts
divide X into smaller parts
- 4
Finance summary
We need a more digestible summary for people who do not work in finance.
- 5
Popular science
The podcast turns complex science into digestible stories for a general audience.
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- digestibleadjective