detectable

Everyday

Able to be noticed or found, especially with tests or instruments. tree →

In the lessons

In science: a detectable amount, a detectable change in temperature. In health: detectable in a blood test. In formal and exam voice: «a barely detectable difference».

Examples

• There was a detectable smell of gas, so we left. tree →
• The change in weight was barely detectable. tree →
• The virus was detectable in the test. tree →
• The sound is not detectable by human ears. tree →
• The earthquake was detectable hundreds of miles away. tree →
• Is there any detectable pattern in the results? tree →

Note

Spelling -able (not -ible). Opposite: undetectable. In science, «not detectable» does not always mean zero; it may be too small for the tool to measure.