different between doubtful vs dubitable

English

Alternative forms

• doubtfull (archaic)

Etymology

From Middle English doutfull, douteful, equivalent to doubt +? -ful.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?da?tf?l/
• Hyphenation: doubt?ful

Adjective

doubtful (comparative more doubtful, superlative most doubtful)

1. Subject to, or causing doubt.
2. Experiencing or showing doubt, sceptical.
3. Undecided or of uncertain outcome.
4. (obsolete) Fearsome, dreadful.
5. Improbable or unlikely.
6. Suspicious, or of dubious character.
7. Unclear or unreliable.

Derived terms

• doubtfully
• doubtfulness

Translations

Noun

doubtful (plural doubtfuls)

1. A doubtful person or thing.
   • 1976, Kenneth Gibbons, Donald Cameron Rowat, Political Corruption in Canada: Cases, Causes and Cures (page 45)

     They had their lists of Liberals and of the doubtfuls who still remained doubtful. As the election drew near, the force of the whole organization was turned upon these unrepentant doubtfuls.

English

Etymology

From the Latin dubitabilis (“doubtful”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?dju?b?t?b?l/, /?du?b?t?b?l/

Adjective

dubitable (comparative more dubitable, superlative most dubitable)

1. Capable of being doubted; susceptible of being questioned.

Synonyms

• doubtable
• doubtful
• uncertain

Antonyms

• indubitable

References

• Webster, Noah (1828) , “dubitable”, in An American Dictionary of the English Language
• dubitable in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• “dubitable” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.
• Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., 1989.
• Random House Webster's Unabridged Electronic Dictionary, 1987-1996.