Capable of being beaten, struck, or hit; having the quality of being subject to beating.
From the verb 'bate' (meaning to reduce or to beat) plus the suffix '-able,' derived from Old English and Middle English usage dating back to the 14th century.
The word 'batable' shows us how English speakers literally thought about materials—'batable' metals were crucial for armor-making because they could be shaped by hammering without shattering.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.