SOME WORDS ENDING IN -IBLE
The principle underlying the difference between words ending in -able and those ending in -ible is thus stated by The Oxford English Dictionary (s.v. -ble): ‘In English there is a prevalent feeling for retaining -ible wherever there was or might be a Latin -ibilis, while -able is used for words of distinctly French or English origin.’ The following are examples of words ending in -ible:
accessible
addible
adducible
admissible
audible
avertible
collapsible
comprehensible
controvertible
credible
discernible
discerpible
edible
eligible
existible
expressible
extendible
feasible
fencible
flexible
forcible
incomprehensible
incorruptible
incredible
indefeasible
indefensible
indelible
indestructible
indigestible
intangible
intelligible
irresistible
legible
negligible
ostensible
permissible
persuasible
plausible
producible
reducible
remissible
reprehensible
reversible
tangible
vendible
visible