Difference between Practicable & Practical

Practicable vs Practical

It is essential to have a good understanding of the differences between practicable and practical, as these two words are often confused in their usage. Both words are primarily used as adjectives, with practical occasionally being used as a noun. Practicable originates from the mid-seventeenth century French word “practicable,” while practical has its origins in the late sixteenth century from the archaic term “practic.”

Meaning of Practicable

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, practicable is defined as “able to be done or put into practice successfully.” This word is used to express plans that can be carried out, as well as suggesting usability in some cases. For example, “The bridge is only practicable for light traffic.”

Meaning of Practical

In contrast, practical is generally used in the sense opposite to theoretical. A sensible and realistic person is referred to as a practical person. The word practical is often associated with being concerned with practice or use rather than theory. As a noun, practical refers to “an examination or lesson in which theories and procedures learned are applied to the actual making or doing of something.”

Key Takeaways

• Practicable is used to express plans that can be carried out and sometimes suggests usability.
• Practical is generally the opposite of theoretical, referring to practice or use rather than theory.
• A sensible and realistic person is called a practical person.