solvable
Part of speech: adj
Morphological type: derivation
Topics: computer
computing
engineering
group-theory
mathematics
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
science
sciences
Etymology: From solve + -able. Piecewise doublet of soluble.
More information
The mathematical senses derive from Galois theory: Galois discovered that one could determine whether a given polynomial could be solved by radicals by studying the properties of a particular group attached to a particular field extension deriving from the polynomial in question; if the group satisfies some conditions then polynomial can be solved by radicals. Any group meeting these conditions — whether or not it arises from this process — is thus called solvable, as is any field extension giving rise to such a group. The Lie-theoretic sense is by analogy, the study of Lie algebras deriving much of its terminology from group theory. In regular use by the late 19th century.
Base: solve
Affixes: -able
Inflected forms:
form: solvible
pos: adj
tags: alternative
obsolete
Senses:
gloss: Capable of being solved.
pos: adj
examples: a solvable problem
1677, Matthew Hale, The Primitive Origination of Mankind, London: William Shrowsbery, “De homine,” Chapter 2, p. 56,
Intellective Memory, which I call an act of the intellective faculty because it is wrought by it, though I do not inquire how or where, because it is not solvible:
Questions of this Nature may be easily solvable in the simple Cases.
1856, Abraham Lincoln, Speech delivered before the first Republican State Convention of Illinois, Bloomington, 29 May, 1856, in Arthur Brooks Lapsley (ed.), The Writings of Abraham Lincoln, New York: The Lamb Publishing Company, Volume 2, p. 271,
It is a very strange thing, and not solvable by any moral law that I know of, that if a man loses his horse, the whole country will turn out to help hang the thief; but if a man but a shade or two darker than I am is himself stolen, the same crowd will hang one who aids in restoring him to liberty.
Would Mr. Farfrae stay in Casterbridge despite his words and her father’s dismissal? His occult breathings to her might be solvable by his course in that respect.
This is a mystery that is solvable with a phone call.
gloss: Capable of being solved.
pos: adj
gloss: Capable of being solved.
pos: adj
gloss: Capable of being solved.
pos: adj
gloss: Capable of being solved.
pos: adj
gloss: Capable of being dissolved or liquefied.
pos: adj
tags: obsolete
examples: 1664, John Chandler (translator), Van Helmont’s Works, London: Lodowick Lloyd, A Treatise of Fevers, Chapter 8, p. 971,
[…] they administer Pearles, and Corrals being beaten to dust or dissolved in distilled vinegar, or the juice of limons, and again dryed, and solvable in any potable liquour:
gloss: Able to pay one's debts.
pos: adj
tags: obsolete
examples: […] although imprisonment was imposed by law on persons not solvable, yet officers were unwilling to cast them into goale,
The Government is solvable in case of Loss, whereas private Men often fail;
gloss: Capable of being paid and discharged.
pos: adj
tags: obsolete
rare
examples: solvable obligations
Related words: solvability
Derived words: insolvable
nonsolvable
solvable group
solvableness
solvmanifold
supersolvable
unsolvable
Translations:
lang: Armenian
word: լուծելի
roman: luceli
lang: Czech
word: řešitelný
lang: Esperanto
word: solvebla
lang: Finnish
word: ratkeava
lang: French
word: résoluble
lang: German
word: lösbar
lang: Hebrew
word: פתיר
roman: pathir
lang: Hungarian
word: megoldható
lang: Hungarian
word: megfejthető
lang: Japanese
word: 解決できる
roman: kaiketsu dekiru
lang: Japanese
word: 解ける
roman: tokeru
lang: Japanese
word: 割り切れる
roman: warikireru
lang: Portuguese
word: solúvel
lang: Romanian
word: plătibil
lang: Romanian
word: solvabil
lang: Russian
word: решаемый
roman: rešajemyj
lang: Spanish
word: soluble
lang: Spanish
word: solucionable
lang: Swedish
word: lösbar