WordGarden.iopassible
A2Pronunciation
UK
- /ˈpasɪbəl/not-comparableadjective
US
- /pˈæsɪbəl/
Meanings
Adjective
able to feel pain, emotion, or suffering
Beyond the definition
Imagine the difference between a stone and a human heart. A stone is "impassible" - it cannot feel the sting of a cold wind or the warmth of a kind word. To be "passible," however, is to be able to feel, to suffer, or to be affected by pain or emotion. You will not hear this word in casual conversation; it is a formal term, mostly used in philosophical or theological writing. It does not mean "allowable" or "likely to happen." Instead, it describes someone or something that is able to experience suffering or feeling.
The word "passible" is deeply rooted in the Latin passibilis, stemming from pati, which means "to suffer" or "to endure." This is the same linguistic ancestor that gave us words like "passion," "patient," and "compassion." Historically, its most significant use has been in religious scholarship, specifically regarding the "impassibility" of God. Scholars have long debated whether a divine being is passible—meaning capable of feeling human-like sorrow or pain—or whether such a being is beyond the reach of all suffering.
It is very common for "passible" to be confused with "passable." However, they are distinct: while a "passable" road is one you can travel on, a "passible" soul is one that can be moved to tears. If something is described as passible, it is not "permissible" or "legal," and it does not simply mean weak. It means able to suffer, feel, or undergo the effects of something from outside itself.
In modern writing, "passible" remains a rare, elevated term. You might encounter it in literature, theology, or academic essays when a writer wants to emphasize the capacity for suffering or deep feeling. Think of it this way: to be passible is to be reachable by pain, emotion, or experience. It is the quality of not being beyond feeling.
Examples
- 1
Literary imagination
The novel imagines the statue as passible, almost able to feel pity for the people around it.
- 2
Theology
Some theologians describe Christ as fully passible, sharing in ordinary human pain and grief.
- 3
Philosophy
In her philosophy, the body is passible: it is open to touch, injury, pleasure, and fear.
See also
Similar
- capable of suffering
- sentient
Shades of meaning
Contrast
- impassible
- insensible
Do not confuse
Used with (collocations)
- passible nature
- passible body
Word family
- passibility
Explore
- suffering
- divine impassibility
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- passibleadjective