legible

/ˈlɛdʒəbəl/

/ˈlɛdʒɪbəl/

Legible describes readable print or handwriting. If someone tells you that your writing looks like "chicken scratch," it might not be legible, except to other chickens.

Legible goes back to the Latin word legibilis, meaning "that can be read." If you can read someone's handwriting, it is legible. The person might not have perfect penmanship, but if you decipher the letters, the writing is legible. People's signatures are especially notorious for not being legible — that's why we often must print or type our names below.

Definitions of legible

1. adjective

   (of handwriting, print, etc.) capable of being read or deciphered
   “legible handwriting”

   synonyms:

   clean, fair

   (of a manuscript) having few alterations or corrections

   clear, decipherable, readable

   easily deciphered

   antonyms:

   illegible

   (of handwriting, print, etc.) not legible

   dirty, foul, marked-up

   (of a manuscript) defaced with changes

   indecipherable, unclear, undecipherable, unreadable

   not easily deciphered