Able to be achieved, reached, or accomplished through effort or skill.
From 'attain' (from Old French 'ataindre,' from Latin 'attingere' meaning 'to touch or reach') plus the suffix '-able.' The word has been in English since at least the 1400s, evolving from a literal sense of physical reaching to abstract achievement.
The difference between 'attainable' and 'possible' is subtle but psychologically important—'attainable' implies *you* can do it through effort, while 'possible' just means it's not impossible, which explains why motivational speakers emphasize setting 'attainable' rather than merely 'possible' goals.
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