British spelling variant meaning 'capable of being civilised' or 'able to be refined or taught proper behavior.'
From civilise (British spelling of civilize) + -able (capable of being). The -ise/-ize variation reflects British vs. American spelling conventions that diverged in the 18th-19th centuries.
The existence of words like 'civilisable' shows how colonizers once thought—they debated whether colonized peoples were 'civilisable,' a deeply problematic concept that reveals how the word civilization has been weaponized throughout history.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.