Meaning & Definition of word "Expendable"
to
Expendable
/ɪkˈspɛndəbl/
noun:
- 1. A person or thing that is considered to be of little or no value.
- Example: In the harsh realities of war, some soldiers are seen as expendables.
adjective:
- 1. Designed to be used only once or until no longer useful; not worth saving.
- Example: The company supplied expendable materials for the project to reduce costs.
- 2. Not essential; able to be sacrificed or replaced.
- Example: In the heat of battle, many soldiers viewed their positions as expendable.
Etymology
Latin 'expendere', meaning to weigh out or spend.
Common Phrases and Expressions
expendable income:
Income that can be spent on non-essential items.
expendable resources:
Resources that are used up without concern for conservation.
expendable personnel:
Staff viewed as non-essential and easily replaceable.
Related Words
disposable:
Intended for one-time use and then discarded.
volunteer:
A person who offers their services for free, often considered expendable.
Slang Meanings of expendable
Meaning: Used to refer to someone who is easily replaced or not valuable.
Example Sentence: He's just a cog in the machine, totally expendable.
Meaning: Refers to an item that is cheap and can be thrown away after use.
Example Sentence: These party supplies are expendable, just grab what we need and toss them later.