programmable

American  

[proh-gram-uh-buhl, proh-gram-] / ˈproʊ græm ə bəl, proʊˈgræm- /

Or programable

adjective

1. capable of being programmed.

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noun

1. an electronic device, as a calculator or telephone, that can be programmed to perform specific tasks.

programmable British  

/ prəʊˈɡræməbəl /

adjective

1. (esp of a device or operation) capable of being programmed for automatic operation or computer processing

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Other Word Forms

• nonprogrammable adjective
• programmability noun
• reprogrammable adjective
• unprogrammable adjective

Etymology

Origin of programmable

First recorded in 1955–60; program + -able

Example Sentences

“So when biology becomes programmable like this, entire industries change. Just like software ate media, just like software ate retail, software is now on the verge of eating medicine,” he said.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 17, 2026

More than three quarters of this new capacity would come from wind power and "programmable technologies such as Battery Energy Storage Systems", Enel said.

From Barron's • Feb. 23, 2026

"Instead of viewing DNA only as a biological substance, we use it as programmable building blocks, allowing us to assemble the components of our sensor with nanometer-level precision," said Zhang.

From Science Daily • Feb. 16, 2026

Using this new approach, the researchers created a programmable smart skin made from hydrogel, a soft, water-rich material.

From Science Daily • Feb. 6, 2026

Babbage designed schematics for a programmable computer, something that could process mathematical equations in place of the human mind.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel