dispensable

[ dih-spen-suh-buhl ]

adjective

1. capable of being dispensed with or done without; not necessary or essential.

   Synonyms: unimportant, extraneous, unessential, unnecessary, expendable

2. capable of being dispensed or administered:

   The money is not dispensable at present.

3. Roman Catholic Church. capable of being permitted or forgiven, as an offense or sin.

dispensable

/ dɪˈspɛnsəbəl /

adjective

1. not essential; expendable
2. capable of being distributed
3. (of a law, vow, etc) able to be relaxed

Derived Forms

• disˌpensaˈbility, noun

Other Words From

• dis·pensa·bili·ty dis·pensa·ble·ness noun
• nondis·pensa·ble adjective
• undis·pensa·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of dispensable¹

1525–35; < Medieval Latin dispēnsābilis, equivalent to Latin dispēns ( āre ) to distribute by weight ( dispense ) + -ābilis -able