Inflatable
/ɪnˈfleɪtəbəl/
Definitions
2 meaningsCapable of being filled with air or gas.
/ɪnˈfleɪtəbəl/
Capable of being inflated; designed to be filled with air or gas.
The children loved playing on the inflatable slide.
💡 Simply: Something that can be blown up with air or gas, like a bouncy castle or a pool toy. It's like a balloon but often much bigger!
👶 For kids: Something that you can blow air into to make it bigger, like a balloon or a swimming pool float.
More Examples
We used an inflatable mattress for camping.
The store had giant inflatable characters as decorations.
How It's Used
"Inflatable rafts are popular for river trips."
"Inflatable life vests are required on many boats."
"Large inflatable advertisements catch attention."
An object, usually made of rubber or plastic, that can be inflated.
/ɪnˈfleɪtəbəl/
An object that can be inflated.
The store had an inflatable Santa Claus on display for the holidays.
💡 Simply: A thing you can blow up, like a floaty for the pool or a giant toy. They are often made of plastic or rubber and filled with air to make them fun to play with.
👶 For kids: Something that you can blow air into to make it bigger, like a balloon or a swimming pool float.
More Examples
We bought an inflatable boat for the lake trip.
The children loved playing on inflatables at the pool party.
How It's Used
"The water park had numerous inflatables for kids to play on."
"Inflatables are easy to transport."
From the verb "inflate" (from Latin "inflare," meaning "to blow into") + "-able" (capable of being). The word developed in the context of emerging technologies related to air-filled objects.
The term became more common with the advent of rubber and plastic manufacturing and the design of products like tires and life preservers, then increasingly with recreational objects.
Memory tip
Think of inflating a balloon – it’s an inflatable object.
Word Origin
"to blow into"