Rules for compositors and readers at the University Press, Oxford

SOME WORDS ENDING IN -ABLE

Reading edition

Words ending in silent e generally lose the e when -able is added, as—

adorable arguable desirable

excusable indispensable leisurable

But this rule is open to exceptions upon which authorities are not agreed. The following spellings are in The Oxford Dictionary, and must be followed:

advisable analysable ascribable atonable baptizable believable blameable bribable chaseable confinable conversable creatable datable debatable

defamable definable delineable dilatable dissolvable drivable endorsable evadable excisable exercisable finable forgivable framable giveable

hireable immovable improvable indispensable inflatable irreconcilable lapsable likeable linable liveable losable lovable malleable movable nameable

overcomable palatable partakable pleasable provable rateable rebukeable receivable reconcilable removable saleable solvable tameable tuneable unmistakable

If -able is preceded by ce or ge, the e should be retained, to preserve the soft sound of c or g, as—

bridgeable changeable chargeable knowledgeable lodgeable

manageable noticeable peaceable pledgeable serviceable

Words ending in double ee retain both letters, as—agreeable.

In words of English formation, a final consonant is usually doubled before -able, as—

admittable biddable clubbable conferrable deferrable

forgettable gettable incurrable rebuttable regrettable[2]

FOOTNOTES:

Notes in this chapter

Note 1 · At Oxford especially, it must always be remembered that the Bible has a spelling of its own; and that in Bible and Prayer Book printing the Note 2 · For an authoritative statement on the whole subject see The Oxford Dictionary, Vol. I, p. 910, art. -ble.