movable

Everyday

1. Able to be moved from one place to another; not fixed. tree →
2. Of a holiday or festival: falling on a different date each year, like Easter. tree →

In the lessons

In design and technology: movable parts such as hinges, wheels and levers make models and toys work; «movable joints» in the body (like the elbow) let us bend. In history: Gutenberg's «movable type» let printers put letters in different orders and print books fast. In religious education: Easter is a «movable feast».

Examples

• The desks in our classroom are movable. tree →
• The puppet has movable arms and legs. tree →
• Your elbow is a movable joint. tree →
• Gutenberg printed books with movable type. tree →
• Easter is a movable holiday. tree →
• The bridge has a movable part that lifts for ships. tree →
• Make a card with a movable picture using a split pin. tree →
• Then the young couple returned by means of the movable stone, and brought up all the glass vessels filled with smoke. tree →

Note

Both spellings are correct: «movable» (more common) and «moveable». «-able» means «can be»: move → movable, wash → washable. Opposite: «immovable» or «fixed».