audible

[ aw-duh-buhl ]

adjective

1. loud enough to be heard; able to be heard:

   The pun brought an audible groan from his colleague.

   When I’m working in the basement, the sound of the traffic is barely audible.

noun

1. Also called automatic, checkoff. Football. a play called aloud by the quarterback at the line of scrimmage to supersede the play originally agreed upon as a result of a change in strategy:

   The quarterback called an audible that sent the running back past the other offensive guard.

   Cheering by the fans made it hard for either team to hear any audibles.

audible

/ ˈɔːdɪbəl /

adjective

1. perceptible to the hearing; loud enough to be heard

noun

1. American football a change of playing tactics called by the quarterback when the offense is lined up at the line of scrimmage

Derived Forms

• ˌaudiˈbility, noun
• ˈaudibly, adverb

Other Words From

• au·di·bil·i·ty [aw-d, uh, -, bil, -i-tee], au·di·ble·ness noun
• au·di·bly adverb
• non·au·di·bil·i·ty noun
• non·au·di·ble adjective
• non·au·di·ble·ness noun
• non·au·di·bly adverb
• qua·si-au·di·ble adjective
• qua·si-au·di·bly adverb
• sub·au·di·bil·i·ty noun
• sub·au·di·ble adjective
• sub·au·di·ble·ness noun
• sub·au·di·bly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of audible¹

First recorded in 1520–30; from Late Latin audībilis, from Latin audī(re) “to hear” + -bilis -ble

Word History and Origins

Origin of audible¹

C16: from Late Latin audibilis, from Latin audīre to hear

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. call an audible, to make a last-minute change of plan in response to circumstances, new information, etc.:

   Instead of the first song on their set list, the band called an audible and played one that was known to be especially popular on campus.

Example Sentences

A repeating tone - blip, blip, blip - is the audible reminder that we are in one of the most hazardous nuclear sites in the world: Sellafield.

From BBC

As bad as it looks on the page, it sounded and looked worse live, especially when taken in context with the unsteady way he had walked to his lectern, the barely audible voice he was speaking with, and the vacant, almost alarmed way he stared into the camera when Trump was talking:

From Slate

So it was hardly a surprise when Freeman stepped into the batter’s box in the first inning of Game 3 in Yankee Stadium Monday night that he was greeted with a very audible and vulgar chant from the Bleacher Creatures, the right-field fans known for their fierce loyalty to the Yankees and hostility toward opposing teams.

From Los Angeles Times

Rogan, affable bro that he is, made Trump’s barely decipherable “weave” audible, if not intellectually accessible, from whichever comfortable place a listener prefers to receive the unfiltered blathering of a 78-year-old would-be autocrat.

From Salon

When that figure was read out at the public inquiry, there was an audible gasp from survivors and relatives in the room.

From BBC

Related Words

• deafening
• detectable
• discernible
• distinct
• loud
• perceptible
• resounding
• sounding