flexible

English

A flexible tube
A flexible display
A flexible gymnast

Etymology

From Middle French flexible, from Latin flexibilis, from flectō (“I bend, curve”).

Pronunciation

  • (UK, US) IPA(key): /ˈflɛk.sɪ.bəl/, /ˈflɛk.sə.bəl/
  • Audio (US)(file)

Adjective

flexible (comparative more flexible, superlative most flexible)

  1. Capable of being flexed or bent without breaking; able to be turned or twisted without breaking
    Synonym: pliable
    Antonyms: stiff, brittle, inflexible
    When the splitting wind Makes flexible the knees of knotted oaks. -William Shakespeare
  2. Willing or prone to give way to the influence of others; not invincibly rigid or obstinate
    Synonyms: tractable, manageable, ductile
    Phocion was a man of great severity, and no ways flexible to the will of the people. - Francis Bacon.
    Women are soft, mild, pitiful, and flexible. - William Shakespeare
  3. Capable or being adapted or molded in some way
    Synonyms: plastic, malleable
    a flexible language
    This was a principle more flexible to their purpose. -Rogers.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.

See also

Noun

flexible (plural flexibles)

  1. (chiefly engineering and manufacturing) Something that is flexible.
    • 2009 August 19, Terry McCrann, “Win-win deal for the times”, in Herald Sun‎:
      Alcan is mostly flexibles -- and so it boosts Amcor's flexible packaging business to a globally significant $7 billion one.

References

Asturian

Etymology

From Latin flexibilis.

Adjective

flexible (epicene, plural flexibles)

  1. flexible

Antonyms

  • flexibilidá

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin flexibilis.

Adjective

flexible (masculine and feminine plural flexibles)

  1. flexible

Antonyms

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin flexibilis.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /flɛk.sibl/
  • Homophone: flexibles
  • Hyphenation: flex‧sible

Adjective

flexible (plural flexibles)

  1. flexible

Derived terms

Further reading

Galician

Alternative forms

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin flexibilis.

Adjective

flexible m, f (plural flexibles)

  1. flexible

Antonyms

German

Adjective

flexible

  1. inflected form of flexibel

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin flexibilis, from flectō (“I bend, curve”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /flekˈsi.βle/

Adjective

flexible (plural flexibles)

  1. flexible (all senses)

Antonyms

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