Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Shallow enough to be crossed by wading or driving: Describes a body of water, typically a river or stream, that is not too deep and has a solid enough bottom to allow safe passage on foot, on an animal, or in a suitable vehicle.

Usage

• The primary use of "fordable" is to describe the physical characteristic of a river or stream. It is often used in travel, hiking, military, or historical contexts.
• It is typically used attributively (before a noun) or predicatively (after a linking verb like "is" or "was").

Examples

• Adjective:
  • After the dry season, the river became fordable at several points.
  • The scouts searched for a fordable section of the creek to cross with their horses.
  • The old military map indicated that the stream was fordable by light vehicles.

Advanced Usage

• "Easily fordable": Emphasizes that crossing requires minimal effort or difficulty.
  • The shallow, rocky bed made the river easily fordable.
• "No longer fordable": Indicates that conditions (like heavy rain) have changed, making crossing impossible by wading.
  • The spring melt rendered the once-fordable stream treacherous and deep.

Variants and Related Words

• Ford (n): A shallow place in a river or stream where it can be crossed.
  • They met at the ford to exchange goods.
• Ford (v): To cross a river or stream at a shallow point.
  • The pioneers had to ford the river with their wagons.
• Unfordable (adj): Not able to be forded; too deep or dangerous to cross by wading.
  • The floodwaters made the river completely unfordable.

Synonyms

• Crossable (by wading): Capable of being crossed on foot through water.
• Wadable (less common): Alternative spelling meaning capable of being waded through.

Antonyms

• Unfordable: Not shallow enough to be crossed by wading.
• Impassable: Incapable of being passed or crossed.

Adjective

1. shallow enough to be crossed by walking or riding on an animal or in a vehicle
   • the stream was fordable