interchangeable

English

Etymology

interchange + -able

Pronunciation

  • (General American) IPA(key): /ɪntɚˈtʃeɪndʒəbl̩/, [ɪɾ̃ɚˈtʃeɪndʒəbl̩]

Adjective

interchangeable (not comparable)

  1. Freely substitutable; that may be swapped at will.
    Eli Whitney's development of interchangeable parts was a breakthrough for modern manufacturing. Prior to that, each part had to be made custom.
    • 2014, Ian Jack, "Is this the end of Britishness", The Guardian, 16 September 2014:
      The English, until relatively recently, seem to have imagined “English” and “British” to be interchangeable, as if Britain was just a bigger England.
  2. Following each other in alternate succession; alternating.

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

interchangeable (plural interchangeables)

  1. Anything that can be interchanged; a substitute.

French

Etymology

From interchanger + -able

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɛ̃.tɛʁ.ʃɑ̃.ʒabl/

Adjective

interchangeable (plural interchangeables)

  1. interchangeable, substitutable

Further reading

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