Added 9 October 2026
solvable
/ˈsɒlvəbəl/ adjective
adjective Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about solvable at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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Capable of being solved.
a solvable problem
- various senses relating to terminating sequences or computability: Having terminating derived series; see Solvable group on Wikipedia.Wikipedia Having a Galois group which is solvable. Having terminating derived series (this is a distinct notion from the derived series of a group); see Solvable Lie algebra on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
- Having terminating derived series; see Solvable group on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
Origin
From solve + -able. Piecewise doublet of soluble. More information The mathematical senses derive from Galois theory: Galois discovered that one could determine whether a given polynomial could be solved by radicals by studying the properties of a particular group attached to a particular field extension deriving from the polynomial in question; if the group satisfies some conditions then polynomial can be solved by radicals. Any group meeting these conditions — whether or not it arises from this process — is thus called solvable, as is any field extension giving rise to such a group.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)