different between reasonable vs possible

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Old French resnable, from Late Latin rationabilis, from Latin ratio; more at reason, -able.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??i?.z?n.?.b?l/, /??i?z.n?.b?l/
• Hyphenation: rea?son?able

Adjective

reasonable (comparative more reasonable, superlative most reasonable)

1. (now rare) Having the faculty of reason; rational, reasoning.
   • 1634, William Wood, New Englands Prospect, I:

     The wi?dome and under?tanding of this Bea?t, will almo?t conclude him a rea?onable creature […].

2. Just; fair; agreeable to reason.
3. Not excessive or immoderate; within due limits; proper.

   a reasonable demand, amount, or price

4. Not expensive; fairly priced.

   $20 a bottle is very reasonable for a good wine at a restaurant.

   Say, would you happen to know a good place for lunch in the downtown area? ... The Radisson ... Oh yah? ... Is it reasonable? - Marge Gunderson in Fargo (1996)

5. Satisfactory.

   The builders did a reasonable job, given the short notice.

Synonyms

• reasonous

Antonyms

• arbitrary
• unreasonable

Derived terms

• reasonably
• reasonability
• reasonableness

Translations

English

Etymology

From Middle English possible, from Old French possible, from Latin possibilis (“possible”), from posse (“to be able”); see power. Displaced Old English mihtl?? (“possible”), which was cognate with Dutch mogelijk (“possible”) and German möglich (“possible”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?p?s?bl?/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?p?s?bl?/
• Hyphenation: pos?si?ble

Adjective

possible (comparative possibler or more possible, superlative possiblest or most possible)

1. (usually not comparable) Able but not certain to happen; neither inevitable nor impossible.

   Synonyms: futurable; see also Thesaurus:possible

   Antonyms: certain, inevitable, impossible
2. (comparable) Capable of being done or achieved; feasible.

   Synonyms: achievable, doable, viable

   Antonym: impossible
3. Being considered, e.g. for a position.

4. Apparently valid, likely, plausible.

   Synonyms: likely, plausible

   Antonym: implausible

Derived terms

• as much as possible
• ASAP (“as soon as possible”)
• possibly

Related terms

• possibility
• potent
• potential
• probable
• improbable
• incidental
• contingent

Translations

Noun

possible (plural possibles)

1. A possible one.
2. (colloquial, rare) A possible choice, notably someone being considered for a position.

   Jones is a possible for the new opening in sales.

3. (rare) A particular event that may happen.

Synonyms

• possibility
• option

Antonyms

• impossible
• no-go

Translations

Further reading

• possible in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• possible in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• bespoils

Catalan

Etymology

From Latin possibilis.

Pronunciation

• (Balearic, Central) IPA^(key): /pu?si.bl?/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /po?si.ble/

Adjective

possible (masculine and feminine plural possibles)

1. possible

   Antonym: impossible

Derived terms

• possibilitat
• possiblement

Related terms

• impossible

Further reading

• “possible” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.

French

Etymology

From Latin possibilis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p?.sibl/

Adjective

possible (plural possibles)

1. possible

Related terms

• possibilité
• possiblement

Noun

possible m (plural possibles)

1. The possible, feasible, what can be done, achieved etc.

Derived terms

Further reading

• “possible” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).