Word of the Day

: June 10, 2024

tractable

adjective TRAK-tuh-bul

What It Means

Tractable is used to describe someone or something that is easily led, managed, taught, or controlled.

// This new approach should make the problem more tractable.

// The horse’s tractable temperament made her especially popular with new riders.

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tractable in Context

“… Kawasaki’s popular KLR650 … only makes about 40 horsepower, yet it has launched untold numbers of epic rides due to its reliable, tractable and manageable output.” — William Roberson, Forbes, 30 Sept. 2022

Did You Know?

A frequentative is a form of a verb that indicates repeated action. The frequentative of the word sniff, for example, is sniffle, meaning “to sniff repeatedly.” Some English words come from a frequentative in another language, and tractable is one. Tractable, meaning “easily led or managed,” comes from the Latin adjective tractabilis, which in turn comes from the verb tractare, which has various meanings including “to drag about,” “to handle,” “to deal with,” and “to treat.” Not to drag on too much about Latin, but tractare is the frequentative of another Latin verb, trahere, meaning “to drag or pull.” Now, one can pull or tug a draft animal on a lead, for example, whether or not that animal is willing or compliant. But if one can pull, handle, or otherwise deal with that animal repeatedly or continuously with ease (by treating it well, we presume)? Well, you can see where this is leading—in English we would call our helpful animal friend tractable. Speaking of farms, despite its resemblance, tractor did not pass through the frequentative tractare but it does come from trahere.