intelligible

adjective

in·​tel·​li·​gi·​ble in-ˈte-lə-jə-bəl 

1

: capable of being understood or comprehended

jargon intelligible only to the initiated

2

: apprehensible by the intellect only

intelligibility

in-ˌte-lə-jə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

intelligibleness

in-ˈte-lə-jə-bəl-nəs 

noun

intelligibly

in-ˈte-lə-jə-blē 

adverb

Synonyms

• accessible
• apprehensible
• coherent
• comprehendible
• comprehensible
• fathomable
• graspable
• legible
• scrutable
• understandable

Examples of intelligible in a Sentence

the ability to make complex concepts intelligible to the average reader

Very little of the recording was intelligible.

Recent Examples on the Web

And the question going forward though will be how much standard is required to create a boundary and to satisfy the intelligible principle of what did Congress actually do. —Tax Notes Staff, Forbes, 10 Sep. 2024

Hell’s Kitchen Cody Spencer — The Outsiders Everyone agrees that Hell’s Kitchen sounds incredible, whether or not its plot and themes are intelligible. —Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 14 June 2024

Even with a translator, though, the document – with its lofty references to the Biblical creation of the world and papal authority – would hardly be intelligible to people unfamiliar with the Spaniards’ religion. —Diego Javier Luis, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2024

The general standard, by the way, for the last century or so has been a good delegation must satisfy an intelligible principle to guide the agency's exercise of authority. —Tax Notes Staff, Forbes, 10 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin intelligibilis, from intelligere

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

intelligible

adjective

in·​tel·​li·​gi·​ble in-ˈtel-ə-jə-bəl 

: able to be understood

intelligibility

-ˌtel-ə-jə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun

intelligibleness

-ˈtel-ə-jə-bəl-nəs 

noun

intelligibly

-blē 

adverb