rechargeable

rechargeable — adjective

1. describes a battery or electronic device that can be given more electrical power

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

describes a battery or electronic device that can be given more electrical power and used again after its stored energy has been used up

Example

Wren bought a pack of rechargeable batteries for her camera.

attributive: rechargeable + noun (batteries)

Is this toothbrush rechargeable or does it use regular batteries?

predicative question: be + noun + rechargeable

Common collocations
  • rechargeable battery
  • rechargeable toothbrush
  • rechargeable shaver
  • rechargeable power bank
  • rechargeable batteries
Synonyms
  • reusable

    broader meaning; covers anything that can be used again, not just electrical items

Antonyms
  • disposable

    designed to be thrown away after one use

  • single-use

    meant to be used only once before discarding

Grammar Patterns

rechargeable + noun

be + rechargeable

Usage Note

Frequently appears before nouns that describe electronic devices (battery, toothbrush, shaver, power bank) as well as after linking verbs in predicative position.

Common Mistakes

I bought a rechargable battery.
I bought a rechargeable battery.
the correct spelling keeps the 'e' from 'recharge' before adding '-able'.
This water bottle is rechargeable.
This water bottle is reusable.
rechargeable refers only to restoring electrical power, not to refilling with liquid.

Word family

  • recharge
    verbB2
  • recharger
    nounC1
  • recharging
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Rechargeable, reusable, and refillable all describe items that can be used more than once, but they apply to different situations. Rechargeable specifically refers to restoring electrical power to a battery or device — you recharge a battery by connecting it to a power source. Reusable is the broadest term, covering anything that can be used again without needing replacement, such as reusable shopping bags or water bottles. Refillable applies to containers that can be filled again with a substance, such as refillable ink cartridges or gas canisters. For example: 'I bought rechargeable batteries for my camera' involves electrical power, whereas 'I bought a reusable water bottle' does not, and 'I bought a refillable pen' involves adding ink rather than electricity.

reusable ↗refillablerechargeable ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word is formed from 'recharge' (meaning to fill again with electricity) plus the suffix '-able' (meaning capable of being). 'Recharge' itself combines 're-' (again) with 'charge', which comes from Old French 'chargier' (to load), from Late Latin 'carricare' (to load a wagon), based on Latin 'carrus' (a wagon).