Origin: Latin suffix -able
Fashionable has 5 different meanings across 1 category:
A fashionable person; a fop.
"The crowd laughed at the young man's overly elaborate outfit, marking him as a true fashion plate."
In plain English: There is no noun form of fashionable; it is only an adjective used to describe something that is currently popular or stylish.
"The new fashionables at the party all wore matching outfits to show their style."
being or in accordance with current social fashions
"fashionable clothing"
"the fashionable side of town"
"a fashionable cafe"
having elegance or taste or refinement in manners or dress
"a little less posh but every bit as stylish as Lord Peter Wimsey"
"the stylish resort of Gstadd"
popular and considered appealing or fashionable at the time
"The vibrant neon dresses worn by everyone in the city made that bold style incredibly fashionable during the summer festival."
Characteristic of or influenced by a current popular trend or style.
"The new minimalist aesthetic has become fashionable in modern interior design."
In plain English: Fashionable means something that is currently popular and stylish among people your age right now.
"That new coffee shop has become very fashionable since it opened last month."
Usage: Use "fashionable" to describe trends, clothing, or styles rather than people's inherent qualities. Avoid using it as a synonym for "stylish," which implies personal taste rather than adherence to current popularity.
The word fashionable comes from combining the noun fashion with the suffix -able to mean "capable of being a fashion." It entered English directly through this straightforward construction rather than evolving from an older form.