le visible

Definition & meaning

Visible is a French adjective meaning visible, able to be seen, or noticeable.

It can describe:

• Something that can be seen with the eyes: un objet visible — “a visible object”
• Something that is clear, apparent, or noticeable: une amélioration visible — “a noticeable improvement”
• Someone who is present and available, especially in an organization or public role: un responsable visible — “a visible/present manager”

The adjective has the same form for masculine and feminine singular:

• un signe visible — a visible sign
• une preuve visible — visible evidence

The plural form is visibles:

• des changements visibles — noticeable changes

Grammar & Word origin

Visible is an adjective. It generally follows the noun, although it may sometimes appear before it for stylistic emphasis.

It comes from the Latin visibilis, meaning “able to be seen,” derived from videre, “to see.” It is related to the French verb ↗ and the noun ↗.

Related forms include:

• ↗ — visibly, clearly
• ↗ — visibility
• ↗ — invisible

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms

• ↗ / ↗ — apparent or evident; emphasizes that something is clear or easy to recognize
• ↗ — perceptible; can be detected by the senses, not necessarily only by sight
• ↗ — manifest or obvious; stronger than visible and often refers to an evident fact or quality
• ↗ — noticeable or remarkable; emphasizes that something attracts attention

Antonyms

• ↗ — invisible or unable to be seen; the direct opposite of visible
• ↗ / ↗ — hidden; deliberately kept out of sight
• ↗ — imperceptible or too subtle to be detected
• ↗ — not apparent or not obvious

Common phrases & collocations

• ↗ — visible to the naked eye
• ↗ — to make visible
• ↗ — to be visible
• ↗ — a visible sign
• ↗ — a noticeable difference
• ↗ — visible or tangible results
• ↗ — visible on the screen