Word of the day

Laura Ryan By Laura Ryan The Post-Standard
on November 23, 2007 at 5:30 AM

fungible \FUN-juh-bul\ adjective: 1. being of such a nature that one part or quantity may be replaced by another equal part or quantity in the satisfaction of an obligation. 2. interchangeable. 3. flexible

In a sentence: We live in a world in which an increasing number of things are fungible -- one item replaceable by another, with no good reason to be attached to one over any other. by Lawrence M. Hinman, Rover Is Not Replaceable, Forget Cloning, Los Angeles Times, Aug. 28, 2004

Did you know?
"Fungible" -- which derives from the Latin verb "fungi," meaning "to perform" (no relation to the noun "fungus" and its plural "fungi") -- is a word that often shows up in legal contexts. Something fungible can be exchanged for something else of the same kind. For example, we could say "oil is a fungible commodity." That means that when a purchaser is expecting delivery of oil, any oil of the stipulated quantity and quality will usually do. Another example of something fungible is cash. It doesn't matter what twenty dollar bill you get -- it's still worth the same amount as any other twenty dollar bill. In contrast, something like a painting isn't fungible; a purchaser would expect a specific, identifiable item to be delivered. In broader use, "fungible" can mean "interchangeable " or sometimes "changeable, fluid, or malleable."

Source: Merriam-Webster Online.

Happy reading.