allowable

English

Etymology

From Middle English allowable, alowable, a borrowing from Old French alouable (Modern French allouable), from allouer, equivalent to allow +‎ -able.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /əˈlaʊ.əbəl/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

Adjective

allowable (comparative more allowable, superlative most allowable)

1. Appropriate; acceptable.

   Synonyms: apposite, proper; see also Thesaurus:suitable

2. Intellectually admissible; valid; probable.

   Synonyms: likely, reasonable

3. Able to be added or deducted in consideration of something.
4. Permissible; tolerable; legitimate.

   Synonyms: acceptable, leveful, permissible; see also Thesaurus:permissible, Thesaurus:valid

   • 1650, Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], 2nd edition, London: […] A[braham] Miller, for Edw[ard] Dod and Nath[aniel] Ekins, […], →OCLC:

     And first, although there were more things in nature then words which did expresse them, yet even in these mute and silent discourses, to expresse complexed significations, they took a liberty to compound and piece together creatures of allowable formes unto mixtures inexistent […]

   • 2023 June 10, Majlie de Puy Kamp, Curt Devine, Audrey Ash, Casey Tolan, Allison Gordon and Pamela Brown, “As horse racing’s best trainers rake in millions, records show they’ve violated rules aimed at keeping the animals safe”, in CNN‎^[1]:

     New HISA regulations, implemented last month, include strict rules about withdrawal times and allowable medication levels on race day.

5. (obsolete) Praiseworthy.

   Synonyms: applaudable, commendable, laudable; see also Thesaurus:respectable

Derived terms

• allowableness
• allowably
• nonallowable
• unallowable

Noun

allowable (plural allowables)

1. A permitted amount or activity.