Condonable

/kənˈdoʊnəbəl/ adjective

Definition

Able to be forgiven, excused, or overlooked; something that can be pardoned or tolerated.

Etymology

From Latin 'condonare' (to forgive completely), formed from 'con-' (with) + 'donare' (to give/grant). The suffix '-able' indicates capacity or possibility. The meaning evolved from the Latin sense of completely giving something away to the modern sense of overlooking a fault.

Kelly Says

The word 'condonable' reveals something fascinating about how we categorize mistakes—we instinctively rank wrongs by whether they're forgivable or not, and different cultures and time periods have wildly different standards for what counts as condonable, from small social awkwardness to serious ethical breaches.

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