negotiable
nuh-GOH-shee-uh-buhl
/nəˈɡoʊ.ʃi.ə.bəl/
Open to discussion or modification; not fixed.
Indicates that the terms, price, or conditions are a starting point for conversation.
The story behind the word. The Latin root 'negotium' literally means 'not leisure' (neg- + otium). In ancient Rome, if you weren't relaxing, you were doing business. 'Negotiable' describes something that is still in the 'business' phase of being settled.
Word relationships
- flexible: Flexible is more general; negotiable specifically implies a formal discussion of terms.
- fixed: Set and not subject to change.
- non-negotiable: Firmly decided and not open to any discussion.
Commonly confused with
- malleable: Malleable refers to physical objects or easily influenced people, not business terms.
Word family
- negotiate (verb): To try to reach an agreement or compromise.
- negotiation (noun): Discussion aimed at reaching an agreement.
Collocations
- highly negotiable
- negotiable terms
- price is negotiable
Example sentences
- "The salary for this position is negotiable based on experience." A job advertisement regarding salary.
- "The asking price is $500,000, but the owner is open to negotiable offers." A real estate listing.
Memory hook
If it's 'negotiable', you can 'go' (nego) and 'table' (tiable) your ideas. Open for discussion.
When not to use
Don't use for things that are strictly fixed by law or policy.
Fun facts
- In finance, a 'negotiable instrument' is a document (like a check) that guarantees the payment of a specific amount of money.
Related words
Explore more words
negotiate, negotiation, discretionary, flexible, deliberative, haggle
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.