WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
per•ceiv•a•ble
(pər sē′və bəl),USA pronunciation adj.
per•ceiv′a•bil′i•ty, per•ceiv′a•ble•ness, n.
per•ceiv′a•bly, adv.
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026- capable of being perceived;
perceptible.
- late Middle English perceyvable. See perceive, -able 1400–50
per•ceiv′a•bly, adv.
per•ceive /pɚˈsiv/USA pronunciation
v., -ceived, -ceiv•ing.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- [not: be + ~-ing]
- to become aware of or identify by the senses:[~ + object]Some artists perceive very subtle differences in shade and tone.
- to recognize or understand: [~ + object]I perceive difficulties in putting your idea into practice.[~ + that clause]He perceived that there would be difficulties.
per•ceive
(pər sēv′),USA pronunciation v.t., -ceived, -ceiv•ing.
per•ceiv•ed•ly
(pər sē′vid lē, -sēvd′-),USA pronunciation adv.
per•ceiv′ed•ness, n.
per•ceiv′er, n.
per•ceiv′ing•ness, n.
- to become aware of, know, or identify by means of the senses:I perceived an object looming through the mist.
- to recognize, discern, envision, or understand:I perceive a note of sarcasm in your voice. This is a nice idea but I perceive difficulties in putting it into practice.
- Latin percipere to lay hold of, grasp, equivalent. to per- per- + -cipere, combining form of capere to take
- Anglo-French *perceivre, for perçoivre
- 1250–1300; Middle English perceiven
per•ceiv′er, n.
per•ceiv′ing•ness, n.
- 1. note, discover, observe, descry, distinguish. See notice.
'perceivable' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):