Capable of being boiled without damage or without changing its essential properties.
From Middle English 'boilen' (to boil) plus the suffix '-able' (capable of), combining Old French 'boillir' from Latin 'bullire' meaning 'to bubble or seethe'.
The word reveals how medieval cooks tested fabrics and foods—boilable became a practical quality marker for durable linens that could be cleaned by boiling without shrinking or falling apart, a critical feature before modern washing machines.
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