Origin: Latin suffix -able
Reasonable has 4 different meanings across 1 category:
Having the faculty of reason; rational, reasoning.
"The judge ruled that the defendant's testimony was reasonable given the lack of physical evidence against him."
In plain English: Reasonable means fair and sensible, like making a choice that makes sense to most people.
"The price of the car was reasonable for its age and condition."
Usage: Use reasonable to describe someone or something that shows good judgment and acts in accordance with logic rather than emotion. This meaning is common when evaluating arguments, decisions, or behavior as sensible and fair-minded.
Reasonable comes from the Latin word ratiō, meaning "reason" or "account," which entered English through Old French and Middle English as an adjective describing something based on sound judgment. Although its structure looks like a modern combination of "reason" and "-able," it actually evolved directly from this ancient root rather than being formed by joining those specific parts later.