Collectable or Collectible?

by Craig Shrives

What Is the Difference between "Collectable" and "Collectible"?

"Collectable" and "collectible" are easy to confuse because they sound so similar (i.e., they are nearly homonyms) and their meanings are close.
  • "Collectable" describes items able to be collected. (e.g., payments, keys).
  • "Collectible" describes items considered worthy of collecting by enthusiasts (e.g., coins, stamps).
collectable or collectible?

More about "Collectable" and "Collectible"

The adjectives "collectable" and "collectible" have slightly different meanings even though both describe items that can be collected. (Many believe that "collectable" is a misspelling because "collectible" is far more common. (See Google's Ngram Viewer.))

Collectable

"Collectable" describes an item that can be collected (e.g., a payment, a set of keys, a car).

Example sentences with "collectable":
  • The policy was stopped due to lack of a collectable payment prior to the loss. correct tick
  • The hire car is collectable upon arrival. correct tick

Collectible

"Collectible" describes an item that a collector deems to be worth collecting (e.g., stamps, comics, coins).

Example sentences with "collectible":
  • A collectible object usually appreciates in value over time. correct tick
  • Soviet-era stamps are highly collectible. correct tick

Collectible as a Noun

Collectible is often seen as a noun.

Example:
  • Star Wars figurines have been described as "holy grail of childhood collectibles." correct tick

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See Also

adverse or averse? affect or effect? Ms., Miss, or Mrs? avenge or revenge? bare or bear? complement or compliment? dependant or dependent? discreet or discrete? disinterested or uninterested? e.g. or i.e.? envy or jealousy? imply or infer? its or it's? material or materiel? poisonous or venomous? practice or practise? principal or principle? cannot or can not? who's or whose? What are adjectives? List of easily confused words