absorbable

IPA/əbˈzɔːbəbl/
IPA/əbˈzɔːrbəbl/

absorbable — adjective

  • absorbablepositive
  • more absorbablecomparative
  • most absorbablesuperlative

1. able to pass into the body or another material instead of staying on the outside

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

able to pass into the body or another material instead of staying on the outside.

Example

The surgeon used absorbable stitches, so Wren did not need them removed later.

collocation: absorbable stitches

This vitamin comes in an absorbable powder that children can mix with juice.

attributive: absorbable + noun

Common collocations
  • absorbable stitches
  • absorbable material
  • absorbable tablet
  • fully absorbable
  • absorbable gel
Synonyms
  • bioresorbable

    more technical medical term for a material the body gradually breaks down and takes in

  • digestible

    used mainly for food or medicine that the body can break down through digestion, so it is narrower

Antonyms
  • non-absorbable

    used especially of stitches or implants the body does not take in

  • impermeable

    describes a surface that does not let liquid pass through it, rather than a substance the body takes in

Grammar Patterns

absorbable + noun

be absorbable

Usage Note

Common in medical and product contexts. It usually describes stitches, tablets, gels, or other materials that the body or another surface can take in over time.

Common Mistakes

The towel is absorbable.
The towel is absorbent.
'absorbable' means something can be taken in; 'absorbent' means it can take in liquid.
These stitches are absorbable in water.
These stitches are absorbable by the body.
the usual idea is that body tissue takes the material in over time.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

'Absorbable' describes something that can be taken into the body or another material instead of remaining separate from it. 'Absorbent' points the other way: it describes a thing, such as a towel or pad, that soaks liquid up. 'Digestible' is narrower and is used for food, medicine, or ideas that the stomach or mind can process without difficulty. 'Bioresorbable' is the technical medical choice for stitches, meshes, or implants that body tissue gradually breaks down and takes in. So an absorbable stitch may also be bioresorbable, but a paper towel is absorbent, not absorbable, and soup may be digestible without being described as absorbable.

absorbable ↗absorbent ↗digestiblebioresorbable

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • fully absorbable
  • absorbable by the body

Prepositions

  • by the body
  • into the skin

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Built in English from the verb 'absorb' plus the suffix '-able', meaning 'able to be'. 'Absorb' came through French from the Latin verb 'absorbere', which meant 'to swallow up'. The modern adjective keeps that idea of something being taken in rather than left outside.

First known use

1779

1779, in the meaning defined above