Word of the DayTuesday, August 24, 2004
fungible
\FUHN-juh-buhl\ , adjective:1.
(Law) Freely exchangeable for or replaceable by another of like nature or kind in the satisfaction of an obligation.
2.
Interchangeable.
1.
Something that is exchangeable or substitutable. Usually used in the plural.
Quotes:
People think this tax is for Social Security. But tax monies are really fungible. They get raided all the time.
-- Eugene Ludwig, "Motivated to Work," interview by Kerry A. Dolan", Forbes, March 20, 2000
The setting is Ireland in the 1950's, but, a cynical reader might reflect, this sort of fiction is so common that the characters will be completely fungible.
-- Susan Isaacs, "Three Little Girls From School", New York Times, December 30, 1990
Genuine eros makes us desire a particular person; crude desire is satisfiable by fungible bodies.
-- Edward Craig (general editor), Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Origin:
Fungible comes from Medieval Latin fungibilis, from Latin fungi (vice), "to perform (in place of)."
