Susceptible
/səˈsɛptɪbəl/noun
Easily influenced, affected, or likely to catch a disease or emotion.
Did you know?Susceptible comes from Latin susceptibilis, from suscipere, meaning “to take up, receive, or endure,” and the same ancient root behind it also survives in words like suspect and susceptible’s hidden cousin, receive-by-taking.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
suscipere
“to take up, receive, undertake, or endure”
Late Latin
Latin
susceptibilis
“capable of being taken up or received”
Old French
Old French
susceptible
“capable of receiving or being affected”
14th Century
English
susceptible
“capable of being influenced, impressed, or affected”
Modern English
English
susceptible
“easily influenced, harmed, or caught by something”
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