legible

adjective

leg·​i·​ble ˈle-jə-bəl How to pronounce legible (audio)
Synonyms of legible
1
: capable of being read or deciphered : plain
legible handwriting
2
: capable of being discovered or understood
… murder sweltered in his heart and was legible upon his face.—Thomas Wolfe
legibility
ˌle-jə-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce legible (audio)
noun
legibly
ˈle-jə-blē How to pronounce legible (audio)
adverb

Synonyms of legible

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Examples of legible in a Sentence

The document is not legible. an anxious mood that was clearly legible upon her face
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
One evidence bag was photographed with a partially legible label. — Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026 While Gen Z found Season 1 through the persuasive, legible, and surprisingly well-sustained power of the internet, Boomers seem to have taken the most linear approach possible. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 6 Oct. 2026 What TrustCare Med is proposing is that the next stage of its growth depends less on adding destinations and more on making the ones patients already choose legible enough to trust. — Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026 The rise of major metropolitan centers around the world, for example, brought with it Baudelaire’s flâneur just as transcontinental railroads made narrative skips in space and time more legible. — Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for legible

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin legibilis, from Latin legere to read

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of legible was in the 15th century

Rhymes for legible

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Browse Nearby Words

legibility
legible
legion
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Cite this Entry

“Legible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legible. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

legible

adjective
leg·​i·​ble ˈlej-ə-bəl How to pronounce legible (audio)
: capable of being read : plain
legible handwriting
legibility
ˌlej-ə-ˈbil-ət-ē How to pronounce legible (audio)
noun
legibly
ˈlej-ə-blē How to pronounce legible (audio)
adverb
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