desirable
adjective
OPAL W
/dɪˈzaɪərəbl/
1 (formal) that you would like to have or do; worth having or doing
She chatted for a few minutes about the qualities she considered desirable in a secretary.
Such measures are desirable, if not essential.
The house has many desirable features.
Experience of computers is highly desirable.
It is desirable that…
(British English) It is desirable that interest rates should be reduced.
(especially North American English) It is desirable that interest rates be reduced.
It is desirable (for somebody) (to do something)
It is no longer desirable for such young children to take formal written tests.
OPPOSITE undesirable
2 ​(of a person) causing other people to feel sexual desire
She suddenly saw herself as a desirable young woman.
He found her intensely desirable.
Collocations
verbs
be
seem
become
find somebody
adverb
eminently
extremely
highly
very
sexually
phrases
it is desirable that…
Word Origin
late Middle English: from Old French, suggested by Latin desiderabilis, from desiderare ‘to desire’, perhaps from de- ‘down’ + sidus, sider- ‘star’.