Atonable

/əˈtoʊnəbəl/ adjective

Definition

Able to be atoned for; capable of being made up for or forgiven through atonement.

Etymology

From atone + -able (capable of being). Atone comes from Old English at + one (to make one, to reconcile), meaning to restore harmony or forgiveness.

Kelly Says

Many legal systems operate on the principle that crimes are atonable—you can serve time and eventually be forgiven by society, though whether that truly makes amends is debated.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.