Reversible Definition & Meaning

American

British

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms reversible American [ri-vur-suh-buhl] / rɪˈvɜr sə bəl /

adjective

1. capable of reversing or of being reversed.

2. able to be reversed or undone so that the original condition is restored.

   Some changes caused by hormonal steroids are not reversible, such as male pattern baldness.

   I knew I'd probably have to replace the canvas someday, so I used a reversible adhesive for easy removal.

3. (of a fabric) woven or printed so that either side may be exposed.

4. that can be worn or displayed with either side out.

   No matter which way he wears this reversible jacket, he'll be warm and stylish.

5. able to be installed so as to be used with either hand, turn clockwise or counterclockwise, open on either side, etc..

   Quiet, roomy, and with a reversible door, this refrigerator comes with a 10-year warranty.

noun

1. a garment, especially a coat, that can be worn with either side exposed.

reversible British / rɪˈvɜːsəbəl /

adjective

1. capable of being reversed

   a reversible decision

2. capable of returning to an original condition

3. chem physics capable of assuming or producing either of two possible states and changing from one to the other

   a reversible reaction

4. thermodynamics (of a change, process, etc) occurring through a number of intermediate states that are all in thermodynamic equilibrium

5. (of a fabric or garment) woven, printed, or finished so that either side may be used as the outer side

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

1. a reversible garment, esp a coat

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

• nonreversible adjective
• nonreversibly adverb
• reversibility noun
• reversibleness noun
• reversibly adverb
• unreversible adjective
• unreversibly adverb

Etymology

Origin of reversible

First recorded in 1640–50; reverse + -ible

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Because the interaction is gentle and reversible, the sensor highlights the affected region while leaving the cell's repair work untouched.

From Science Daily

Instead of trying to break apart the final fibrils, therapies could aim at stopping the reversible precursor stage before harmful structures develop.

From Science Daily

“Most of the side effects are reversible upon discontinuation,” says Mathew.

From The Wall Street Journal

Is what was once viewed as something to be resigned to now seen as reversible, albeit at a cost?

From BBC

The Medina Country Club, a private club in Medina, Ohio, enlisted golf architect Dave Zinkand to renovate its practice facilities and design a short, reversible course that is scheduled to open in October.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• capricious
• fickle
• fluctuating
• mercurial
• protean
• shifting
• unpredictable
• unsettled
• unstable
• varying
• volatile

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.