payable

payable — adjective

1. used for money or costs someone has to pay, often by a certain time

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

used for money or costs someone has to pay, often by a certain time

Example

The first month's rent is payable before you collect the keys.

rent payable before + event

Any tax payable on the prize will come from your winnings.

tax payable on + amount

Common collocations
  • rent payable
  • tax payable
  • balance payable
  • payable within thirty days
  • costs payable by the tenant
Synonyms
  • due

    the broad everyday word for something that should be paid at a certain time

  • owing

    focuses on money that has not yet been paid

  • outstanding

    often used for unpaid amounts that remain on an account

  • billable

    different in meaning; used for costs or hours that can be charged to a customer

Antonyms
  • paid

    already settled, with no money left to pay

  • free

    not requiring payment

Grammar Patterns

rent payable before + event

balance payable within + period

costs payable by + payer

Usage Note

Common in contracts, bills, tax notices, and other formal documents. Usually follows the noun it describes, and often adds a time phrase or a by-phrase naming who must pay. Distinguish from sense 2, which names the receiver on a cheque.

Common Mistakes

The fee is payable by 30 days.
The fee is payable within 30 days.
Use within for a period of time; by is used with a deadline date or a payer.
I am payable the school today.
I am paying the school today.
Payable describes the money or charge, not the person who pays.

2. used on a cheque or similar document to show which person or organization is mea

2.adjectiveC1
Definition

used on a cheque or similar document to show which person or organization is meant to receive the money

Example

Please make the cheque payable to Green Hill School.

make the cheque payable to + receiver

The refund cheque was payable to Marcus, not to his father.

be payable to + named person

Common collocations
  • cheque payable to Marcus
  • draft payable to the company
  • make the cheque payable to City Aid
  • payable to one student only
Synonyms
  • made out to

    common in everyday banking English for the name written as the receiver

  • written to

    a plain informal way to describe the same cheque detail

  • issued to

    slightly broader and more official; can be used beyond cheques

Grammar Patterns

make the cheque payable to + person

be payable to + organization

Usage Note

Almost always appears with to plus the name of a person or organization, especially after cheque, draft, or order. Distinguish from sense 1, where payable describes money that must be paid rather than the named receiver.

Common Mistakes

Please write the cheque payable for City Aid.
Please write the cheque payable to City Aid.
This pattern takes to before the receiver.
The cheque is payable by Marcus.
The cheque is payable to Marcus.
In this sense, to names who receives the money; by is used for the payer in sense 1.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

These words all connect with money, but they are not used in exactly the same way. 'Payable' is formal and often appears in contracts, bills, tax notices, and bank documents. It marks money that must be paid, often with a deadline or condition: 'the balance payable within 30 days'. 'Due' is the broad everyday choice for something expected at a certain time, as in 'rent due on Monday'. 'Owing' stresses that the money is still not paid. 'Outstanding' is common in business English for an amount that remains unpaid on an account. 'Billable' is different again: it refers to work, time, or costs that can be charged to a customer, not simply money that someone owes. Use 'payable' when the context is formal or documentary.

payable ↗due ↗owingoutstanding ↗billable

Common collocations

Phrases

  • be payable to somebody

Prepositions

  • payable to + receiver

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Built in Middle English from the verb 'pay' and the ending '-able'. The verb came into English from Old French payer, from Latin pacare, which originally had the idea of satisfying or settling something. So payable originally meant something like 'able to be paid' or 'to be paid'.