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-ible

var. of -able, occurring in words borrowed from Latin (credible; horrible; visible), or modeled on the Latin type (reducible).

Origin:
< L -ibil(is) or -ībil(is), equiv. to -i- or -ī- thematic vowel + -bilis -ble

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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-able or -ible
suff.

Susceptible, capable, or worthy of a specified action: debatable.
Inclined or given to a specified state or action: changeable.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin -ābilis, -ibilis : -ā- and -i-, thematic vowels + -bilis, adj. suff.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

-ible
suff. Variant of -able.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

-ible

-a*ble\ (-[.a]*b'l). [F. -able, L. -abilis.] An adjective suffix now usually in a passive sense; able to be; fit to be; expressing capacity or worthiness in a passive sense; as, movable, able to be moved; amendable, able to be amended; blamable, fit to be blamed; salable.

Note: The form -ible is used in the same sense.

Note: It is difficult to say when we are not to use -able instead of -ible. "Yet a rule may be laid down as to when we are to use it. To all verbs, then, from the Anglo-Saxon, to all based on the uncorrupted infinitival stems of Latin verbs of the first conjugation, and to all substantives, whencesoever sprung, we annex -able only." --Fitzed. Hall.

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