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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

pal·pa·ble

Audio Help [pal-puh-buh

l] Pronunciation Key

–adjective

1.	readily or plainly seen, heard, perceived, etc.; obvious; evident: a palpable lie; palpable absurdity.

2.	capable of being touched or felt; tangible.

3.	Medicine/Medical. perceptible by palpation.

[Origin: 1350–1400; ME < LL palpābilis that can be touched, equiv. to palpā(re) to stroke, touch, palpate¹ + -bilis -ble

]

—Related forms

pal·pa·bil·i·ty, pal·pa·ble·ness, noun

pal·pa·bly, adverb

—Synonyms 1. manifest, plain. 2. material, corporeal.

—Antonyms 1. obscure.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
palpable

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

pal·pa·ble Audio Help (pāl'pə-bəl) Pronunciation Key
adj.

Capable of being handled, touched, or felt; tangible: "Anger rushed out in a palpable wave through his arms and legs" (Herman Wouk).
Easily perceived; obvious: "There was a palpable sense of expectation in the court" (Nelson DeMille). See Synonyms at perceptible.
Medicine That can be felt by palpating: a palpable tumor.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin palpābilis, from Latin palpāre, to touch gently; see pāl- in Indo-European roots.]

pal'pa·bil'i·ty n., pal'pa·bly adv.

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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
palpable

c.1384, "that can be touched," from L.L. palpabilis "that may be touched or felt," from L. palpare "touch gently, stroke" (see feel (v.)). Fig. sense of "easily perceived, evident" is from 1545.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

palpable
adjective
1.	capable of being perceived; especially capable of being handled or touched or felt; "a barely palpable dust"; "felt sudden anger in a palpable wave"; "the air was warm and close--palpable as cotton"; "a palpable lie" [ant: impalpable]
2.	can be felt by palpation; "a palpable tumor"