able [ME] In the past able had the senses ‘easy to use’ and ‘suitable’ as well as the more familiar sense ‘having the qualifications or means’ to do something. It comes from Latin habilis ‘handy’ from habere ‘to hold’. The jargon term abled, as in differently abled, was formed in the 1980s from disabled [LME], from able with the negative dis- in front, although it has been in use in other ways since the late 16th century.