Appreciable means large enough to be perceived or noticed; capable of being valued or recognized. It implies a measurable significance, not merely negligible, and is often used in formal or analytic contexts to indicate that a difference or amount is worthy of consideration.
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"The improvement in test scores was appreciable, prompting further investment in tutoring."
"There was an appreciable delay before the signal reached the receiver, enough to cause a minor disruption."
"The evidence yielded an appreciable reduction in emissions across the city."
"The jury found an appreciable difference between the two methods, justifying their adoption."
Appreciable comes from the Middle English phrase aprecien, via Old French apprécier, which traces to the Latin word appreciāre, meaning to value or to set a price upon. The Latin root appreciāre is composed of ad- (toward) + pretium (price) and culminates in a sense of recognizing value or merit. In English, appreciation as a noun (the act of valuing or recognizing merit) and appreciable as an adjective (capable of being appreciated or perceived) emerged in the late Middle Ages and early modern period, expanding to cover the idea of something being noticeably large enough to be discerned or quantified. Over time, its usage broadened from financial valuation to general perceptibility, difference, or significance in non-miscalculative contexts, while retaining formal tone in scientific, mathematical, or analytical writing. First known uses appear in scholarly and legal texts where specifying perceptible or measurable impact was necessary, evolving through standard dictionaries in the 18th and 19th centuries into contemporary usage. Modern usage commonly appears in both technical and everyday prose to indicate measurable significance or impact that warrants attention or action.
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Words that rhyme with "appreciable"
-ble sounds
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You pronounce it as /əˈ priː.ʃə.bl̩/ or more commonly /ˌæp.rɪˈsiː.ə.bəl/ depending on dialect. The primary stress falls on the second syllable in many varieties (ap-PREE-shuh-buhl). The middle vowel in the second syllable is a long E: /iː/. Final syllable is a weak, syllabic 'bl' or 'l̩' sound. Practically, say: uh-PREE-shee-uh-buhl with clear emphasis on the second syllable.
Common mistakes include tipping the stress to the first syllable (AP-pri-see-a-ble) and shortening the middle syllable too much, making it sound like /əˈpriː.ʃə.bəl/ with an unclear final syllable. Another frequent error is pronouncing as four distinct syllables with equal stress (a-pri-ci-a-ble) instead of the usual three-to-four with secondary reductions. Correct by aiming for a strong secondary stress on the second syllable and a light, quick final syllable. Ensure the /ˈsiː/ (long E) is held slightly longer than the preceding schwa.
In US English you’ll often hear /ˌæp.rɪˈsiː.ə.bəl/ with a relatively flat American vowel quality and a stronger rhotic influence overall. UK English tends to maintain a slightly more clipped first syllable and a clear /iː/ in the second syllable, with less vowel coloration on the final syllable. Australian English commonly features a more centralized vowel in the first syllable and retains the long /iː/ in the second, with a assertive, non-rhotic or lightly rhotic approach depending on speaker. The core is the long /iː/ in the stressed second syllable; vowel quality shifts apply to the first and final vowels.
Three main challenges: a) maintaining the compound stress pattern across four syllables in fast speech, with second-syllable prominence; b) achieving the long /iː/ vowel in the stressed syllable without distorting surrounding vowels; c) producing the final -able ending as a light schwa-like /ə/ followed by an -bl̩ syllable rather than a hard consonant cluster. Practicing with minimal pairs that isolate the stressed syllable and final syllable helps. Focus on a clean /siː/ and a light, syllabic L in /l̩/ at the end.
A unique aspect is the subtle glide or absence thereof between /siː/ and /ə/ that affects perceived smoothness: some speakers insert a light y-offglide (/j/) between /siː/ and /ə/ as in /ˌæp.rɪˈsiː.jə.bəl/; others do not, linking directly into the schwa. This tiny variation does not change meaning but can affect naturalness. Aim for a smooth transition from the long /iː/ to the /ə/ with controlled, relaxed lips.
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