Desirable Meaning
/dɪˈzaɪəɹəbəl/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
adjWorthy to be desired; pleasing; agreeable.
adjSexually attractive.
Sentence Examples
It is desirable that you should attend the meeting.
I find Italian food very desirable.
She chatted for a few minutes about the qualities she considered desirable in a secretary.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
The candidate's ____ qualities made her the top choice for the job.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
It is ____ that you should attend the meeting.
Word Origin & History
From Old French desirable. Morphologically desire + -able.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"It has long been recognised that complete segregation of control of the respective services provided by the two undertakings, and of the power supply, signalling, and tracks relating to each was desirable."
— 1956 July, “New Works on District Line, L.T.”, in Railway Magazine, page 485:
"With fresh material, taxonomic conclusions are leavened by recognition that the material examined reflects the site it occupied; a herbarium packet gives one only a small fraction of the data desirable for sound conclusions. Herbarium material does not, indeed, allow one to extrapolate safely: what you see is what you get[…]"
— 1992, Rudolf M[athias] Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, Chicago, Ill.: Field Museum of Natural History, →ISBN, page vii:
"The desirable Miss Moneypenny, M's all-powerful private secretary, gave him an encouraging smile and he walked through the double doors."
— 1954, Ian Fleming, “Interview with M”, in Live and Let Die, London: Pan Books, published 1957, page 13:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The candidate's ____ qualities made her the top choice for the job.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
It is ____ that you should attend the meeting.