Dictionary

survivable en · ADJ

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *úp Proto-Indo-European *-er Proto-Indo-European *upér Proto-Italic *super Latin super Latin super- Proto-Indo-European *gʷeyh₃- Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Indo-European *gʷih₃wós Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *gʷíh₃weti Proto-Italic *gʷīwō Latin vīvō Latin supervīvereder. English survive Proto-Indo-European *-dʰlom Proto-Italic *-ðlom Proto-Italic *-ðlis Latin -bilis Latin -ābilis Old French -ablebor. Middle English -able English -able English survivable From survive + -able.

Meanings

1. Able to be survived.
   • The conditions they are living in are harsh but survivable.
2. Capable of surviving an attack, especially a nuclear strike.
   • In order for a weapon system to be an effective deterrent it must be highly survivable. Weapon systems based in the world's ocean waters are the most survivable systems. 1972, Naval Engineers Journal, volume 84, page 274:
   • As Desert Storm demonstrated, heavily defended targets can be successfully attacked by cruise missiles and a limited number of highly capable and survivable aircraft, leaving other targets to be attacked by less survivable aircraft. A recent CNA study reinforced this point. 1995, United States. General Accounting Office, Cruise Missiles: Proven Capability Should Affect Aircraft and Force Structure Requirements : Report to Congressional Committees, page 48:
   • “I think that what we found is that our command and control needs to be more survivable,” said Col. Robert S. McChrystal, commander of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, which is based in Vilseck, Germany, near the Czech border. 2024 April 24, Helene Cooper, quoting Robert S. McChrystal, “NATO Puts on a Show of Force in the Shadow of Russia’s War”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

Forms

Deriveds

unsurvivable · survivability · nonsurvivable

Synonyms

livable · endurable · livable · survivable · bearable · withstandable · sufferable · abideable · tolerable · supportable · portable · withstandable · endurable