Passable

/ˈpæsəbəl/ adjective

Definition

Acceptable or adequate enough to be approved or allowed, though not necessarily excellent or outstanding.

Etymology

From Old French 'passable,' derived from 'passer' (to pass). The suffix '-able' means 'capable of being,' so passable literally means 'capable of being passed' or 'allowed to pass.'

Kelly Says

Passable is the vocabulary of the mediocre—it's what teachers write on reports when they're being polite about work that's merely 'okay,' making it perhaps the most diplomatic word for 'not great.'

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