observable
gb/əbzˈɚvəbəl/ us/əbzˈɚvəbəl/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B2
property
1
able to be seen or noticed
If something is observable, people can see it or notice it.
Usage pattern:
observable [effect/change/difference]; [something] is observable
Common mistake:
Do not confuse observable with observant. An observable change can be noticed; an observant person notices things well.
Synonyms
noticeable (more common in everyday speech)
|
visible (usually refers specifically to being seen)
|
detectable (often suggests finding something with effort or instruments)
Antonyms
unobservable (cannot be seen or noticed)
|
invisible (cannot be seen)
|
imperceptible (too slight to be noticed)
Collocations
observable change
|observable difference
|observable effect
|observable sign
|observable trend
|observable pattern
|observable behavior
|observable improvement
|clearly observable
|directly observable
Themes
perception
|description
Examples
- There was no observable change in his mood after the meeting.
- The treatment produced an observable improvement within a few weeks.
- The two versions have only one observable difference.
Learner examples
- The stain was barely observable.
- We saw an observable change in the weather.
adjective
technical
C1
property
2
measurable by observation
In science, an observable thing can be measured or recorded because there is evidence of it.
Usage pattern:
observable [data/phenomenon/variable/evidence]
Common mistake:
Observable does not always mean visible to the eye; it may mean measurable with instruments or shown by data.
Synonyms
measurable (emphasizes numerical or practical measurement)
|
detectable (emphasizes that something can be found or identified)
|
empirical (relates to evidence from observation or experiment)
Antonyms
theoretical (exists as an idea or model rather than direct evidence)
|
unmeasurable (cannot be measured)
|
unobservable (cannot be directly observed or detected)
Collocations
observable data
|observable evidence
|observable phenomenon
|observable variable
|observable outcome
|observable symptoms
|observable characteristics
|observable facts
|empirically observable
|not directly observable
Themes
science
|research
|measurement
Examples
- The researchers focused only on observable behavior, not private thoughts.
- The model makes predictions that are observable in laboratory experiments.
- Pain is subjective, but doctors can still look for observable symptoms.
Learner examples
- The scientist recorded observable data.
- The test measures an observable result.
Noun
technical
C1
entity
3
measurable quantity or feature
An observable is something that can be measured or recorded in a scientific or technical system.
Usage pattern:
an observable; observables
Common mistake:
As a noun, observable is usually technical. In everyday English, use thing you can see, sign, or measurement instead.
Synonyms
variable (a broader term for a measurable factor that can change)
|
measurement (emphasizes the recorded value rather than the property itself)
|
indicator (something used as evidence of another condition)
Antonyms
unobservable (something that cannot be directly observed or measured)
|
latent variable (a hidden factor inferred from observables)
Collocations
a physical observable
|quantum observable
|market observables
|key observables
|measured observables
|clinical observables
|direct observables
|observable of interest
|set of observables
|statistical observables
Themes
science
|mathematics
|computing
|measurement
Examples
- In the experiment, temperature was treated as an observable.
- The theory connects hidden causes with the observables we can measure.
- Physicists use the term observable for a quantity that can, in principle, be measured.
Learner examples
- Temperature is an observable in this study.
- The team compared several observables.
Grammar
Dictionary form
observable
IPA
GB/əbzˈɚvəbəl/
US/əbzˈɚvəbəl/
Syllables & stress
ob - serv - able (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (serv)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: observable
Noun
- Base: observable
- Plural: observables
Expressions
observable universe
1/əbzˈɚvəbəl jˈunəvˌɚs/
fixed phrase
technical
visible part of the universe
The observable universe is the part of space that we can see or detect from Earth.
Examples
- There are billions of galaxies in the observable universe.
- The observable universe may be only a small part of the entire universe.
- Light from beyond the observable universe has not had enough time to reach us.