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Definition of palpable - 6 dictionary results

pal⋅pa⋅ble

  [pal-puh-buhl]
Use palpable in a Sentence
–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, palpate 1 + -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
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To palpable
pal·pa·ble   (pāl'pə-bəl)   
adj.  
  1. Capable of being handled, touched, or felt; tangible: "Anger rushed out in a palpable wave through his arms and legs" (Herman Wouk).
  2. Easily perceived; obvious: "There was a palpable sense of expectation in the court" (Nelson DeMille). See Synonyms at perceptible.
  3. 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.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Palpable

Pal"pa*ble\, a. [F. palpable, L. palpabilis, fr. palpare to feel, stroke; cf. palpus the soft palm of the hand.]

1. Capable of being touched and felt; perceptible by the touch; as, a palpable form. --Shak.

Darkness must overshadow all his bounds, Palpable darkness. --Milton.

2. Easily perceptible; plain; distinct; obvious; readily perceived and detected; gross; as, palpable imposture; palpable absurdity; palpable errors. "Three persons palpable." --P. Plowman.

[Lies] gross as a mountain, open, palpable. --Shak. -- Pal"pa*ble*ness, n. -- Pal"pa*bly, adv.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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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.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Main Entry: pal·pa·ble
Pronunciation: 'pal-p&-b&l
Function: adjective
: capable of being touched or felt; especially : capable of being examined by palpation palpable —Journal of the American Medical Association>
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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palpable pal·pa·ble (pāl'pə-bəl)
n.

  1. Perceptible to touch; capable of being palpated.
  2. Evident; obvious.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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