What does audible mean?
Word: Audible
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Audible means loud or clear enough for people to hear.
Synonyms: clear, distinct
Word origin: Comes from Late Latin audibilis, from the Latin verb audire.
How do you spell audible?
Syllables: au - di - ble
Tricky part: The ending is -ible, not -able. Said aloud it sounds like "duh-bul", so the vowel gives no clue and many students write audable.
Watch out for: audable, audibal
Memory tip: Audio, audience, audition and audible all keep an i straight after aud: carry that i on into the ending.
Audible in a sentence
Example 1: The teacher's voice was barely audible over the rain drumming on the tin roof.
Example 2: Please turn the fan down so the speaker on the video is audible.
Example 3: There was an audible sigh of relief in the hall when the results were read out.
Fun Fact
Many bats find their way with squeaks pitched so high that they are not audible to human ears.
Practise the CREST Way
Back to the Roots
Choose the correct option:
Audible comes from the Latin verb audire. Which of these words comes from the same Latin verb?
a) authentic
b) auditorium
c) audacious
d) augment
Show answer
b) auditorium. An auditorium is a hall built for listeners; audacious only looks related, as it comes from a Latin word for bold.
Jumble Tumble
Choose the correct sequence of the jumbled letters to form a meaningful word:
lbieuad 1234567
a) 6573214
b) 2573614
c) 6573241
d) 6537214
Show answer
a) 6573214. Taking the letters in that order gives audible, a word for a sound you can hear.
Sound Check
In which word is 'au' pronounced differently?
a) laundry
b) laugh
c) autumn
d) audible
Show answer
b) laugh. In laugh the au is said like the a in father; the other three use the 'aw' sound of saw.
Word Fusion
Choose the two parts that make a word meaning 'too quiet to be heard':
1. dis 2. ness 3. audible 4. in 5. ly 6. un
a) 4 and 3
b) 1 and 3
c) 3 and 2
d) 6 and 3
Show answer
a) 4 and 3. In + audible gives inaudible; English has no unaudible or disaudible.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A whisper that is only just audible is one that you ___.
a) cannot hear at all
b) can barely hear
c) hear as an echo
d) hear across a field
Show answer
b) can barely hear
2. Which device would make a faint voice more audible in a big hall?
a) a magnifying glass
b) a microphone
c) a telescope
d) a thermometer
Show answer
b) a microphone
