Peccable

[Dr. Goodword]

• peccable •

Pronunciation: pek-ê-bêl • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Adjective

Meaning: Capable of sin, given to sinning.

Notes: We generally think of impeccable "flawless" as an orphan negative, without a positive. But impeccable also means "sinless" because its positive counterpart, peccable, means "sinful". The noun from this word is peccability. It has a cousin with a similar meaning, peccant "sinful", which also has a noun, peccancy "sinfulness".

In Play: Today's word shouldn't be used in referring to those people known to be sinful; peccant is a better word for them. Today's word is closer in meaning to fallible: "Those of us in the USA today look forward hopefully to a new era of government in the hands of new though nonetheless peccable leaders." Peccable, however, could find plenty to do around the office: "I think we should ask someone less peccable than Robin Banks to look after the coffee money."

Word History: Today's Good Word is built on the Latin verb peccare "to stumble, go astray, sin". The root is ped-/pod- "foot" found in such borrowings as pedal, pedestrian, podiatrist, and tripod. Apparently a suffixed form of this word similar to ped-cos "misstep" existed at one time before the formation of Latin, and this word gave rise to pedcare "to misstep". The D in this word then predictably converted to C, leaving Latin with peccare. The meaning then moved from an actual misstep to a metaphorical moral one, "to sin". So today's Good Word has made a remarkable journey to its current form and meaning—and all on foot! In Portuguese and Spanish this root became pecado and, in Italian, peccato, all of which mean "sin". I could also mention peccadillo, another related word. (Today we thank the impeccable Susan Kappel for raising the question, "Where are peccable and ravel?")

[Philip Hudson]

My first experience with this word family came from the Spanish peccadillo. I was a child at that time. I had no idea then that it was also an English word and I had never heard the other words in the family. But they have now all been in my recognition vocabulary for many years. My spellcheck has never met peccable. Except for peccadillo and impeccable, they are not in my active vocabulary. Perhaps I will try to insert peccable into a conversation soon.

[William Hupy]

I shouldn't do this, but I will, as it is one of my favorites, apocryphal as it may be.
The story goes that in 1843, after annexing the Indian province of Sind, British General Sir Charles Napier sent home a one word telegram, "Peccavi" implying "I have Sind."

[Perry Lassiter]

Immediately thought of sauce piquante (spelled different ways) which on-line is translated as translated prickly. This is a cajun sauce, well known throughout LA, even 100 miles north of Cajun country. It can be mild or hot. Still wonder whether the word is related in etymology to peccant. I once asked a Cajun chef who was cooking for our church chicken sauce piquante what we could do if we had more people than we were cooking for. He said, "Add mo peppa!"

[misterdoe]

I shouldn't do this, but I will, as it is one of my favorites, apocryphal as it may be.
The story goes that in 1843, after annexing the Indian province of Sind, British General Sir Charles Napier sent home a one word telegram, "Peccavi" implying "I have Sind."

I love that story.