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Webster 1913 Edition


Susceptible

Sus-cep′ti-ble

,
Adj.
[F., from L.
suscipere
,
susceptum
, to take up, to support, undertake, recognize, admit; pref.
sus
(see
Sub-
) +
capere
to take. See
Capable
.]
1.
Capable of admitting anything additional, or any change, affection, or influence; readily acted upon;
as, a body
susceptible
of color or of alteration
.
It sheds on souls
susceptible
of light,
The glorious dawn of our eternal day.
Young.
2.
Capable of impression; having nice sensibility; impressible; tender; sensitive;
as, children are more
susceptible
than adults; a man of a
susceptible
heart.
Candidates are . . . not very
susceptible
of affronts.
Cowper.
I am constitutionally
susceptible
of noises.
Lamb.
Sus-cep′ti-ble-ness
,
Noun.
Sus-cep′ti-bly
,
adv.

Webster 1828 Edition


Susceptible

SUSCEP'TIBLE

,
Adj.
[L. suscipio, to take; sub and capio.]
1.
Capable of admitting any thing additional, or any change, affection or influence; as a body susceptible of color or of alteration; a body susceptible of pain; a heart susceptible of love or of impression.
2.
Tender; capable of impression; impressible. The minds of children are more susceptible than those of persons more advanced in life.
3.
Having nice sensibility; as a man of a susceptible heart.

Definition 2024


susceptible

susceptible

English

Adjective

susceptible (comparative more susceptible, superlative most susceptible)

  1. likely to be affected by something
    He was susceptible to minor ailments.
  2. easily influenced or tricked; credulous
  3. (medicine) especially sensitive, especially to a stimulus
  4. that, when subjected to a specific operation, will yield a specific result
    Rational numbers are susceptible of description as quotients of two integers.
    A properly prepared surface is susceptible of an enduring paint job.
  5. vulnerable; (temporarily) defenseless
    • 2013, Daniel Taylor, Rickie Lambert's debut goal gives England victory over Scotland (in The Guardian, 14 August 2013)
      The visitors were being pinned back by the end of the first half. Yet Gordon Strachan's side played with great conviction and always had a chance of springing a surprise when their opponents were so susceptible at the back.

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

susceptible (plural susceptibles)

  1. (epidemiology) A person who is vulnerable to being infected by a certain disease
    • 1983, Topley & Wilson, editors, General Microbiology & Immunity, ISBN 068309064X, page 417:
      In either instance a decrease in the number of susceptibles, by making the spread of virus less easy, tends towards a stage at which the infection dies out.

Coordinate terms


French

Etymology

From Late Latin susceptibilis.

Adjective

susceptible m, f (plural susceptibles)

  1. likely, liable
    • Cet incident est susceptible d'entraîner une crise diplomatique.
  2. huffy, thin-skinned, touchy
    • Evite de le critiquer, il est très susceptible.

Spanish

Etymology

From Late Latin susceptibilis, from Latin susceptus, from suscipere.

Pronunciation

  • (Castilian) IPA(key): [pre̞s.θin̪ˈdiɾ]
  • (Lat. Am.) IPA(key): [pre̞.sin̪ˈdiɾ]

Adjective

susceptible m, f (plural susceptibles)

  1. amenable
  2. sensitive
  3. capable (of) (followed by de, and an action)
    "frágil significa que es susceptible de romperse
    "frágil" means that is capable of being broken

Derived terms