Origin: Latin suffix -ible
Deductible has 5 different meanings across 2 categories:
(taxes) an amount that can be deducted (especially for the purposes of calculating income tax)
"The business owner claimed a charitable donation as a deductible expense to lower her taxable income."
a clause in an insurance policy that relieves the insurer of responsibility to pay the initial loss up to a stated amount
"The car accident repair bill exceeded his deductible, so he had to cover the first $500 out of pocket."
An amount of expenses that must be paid out of pocket before an insurer will pay further expenses.
"After paying her $500 deductible, Sarah's insurance company covered the rest of her car repair costs."
In plain English: A deductible is the specific amount of money you must pay out of your own pocket before an insurance company starts covering costs for something that gets damaged or stolen.
"The car insurance policy has a high deductible that I must pay before coverage begins."
Usage: A deductible is the specific sum you must pay from your own funds before your insurance company begins covering costs. This term often confuses people who mistake it for a co-pay, but unlike a fixed fee per visit, a deductible resets every policy period and applies to total claims up to that limit.
acceptable as a deduction (especially as a tax deduction)
"The business expenses he submitted were fully deductible, significantly lowering his taxable income."
Eligible to be deducted.
"The employee's contribution is deductible from their taxable income."
The word comes from combining Latin deducere (to lead down) with the suffix -ible, meaning capable of being done. It entered English to describe an amount that must be paid before insurance coverage begins, reflecting its root sense of leading a sum away from total compensation.