tunable

1 4.6

Able to be adjusted to improve sound or performance

adjective
/ˈtjuːnəbl/

: ajustable

With its tunable settings, the digital thermostat can maintain the perfect temperature in any room.
tunable laser
tunable source

Examples

Multichannel operation at several different wavelengths is now commercially feasible, and this has increased the need for tunable semiconductor laser sources (which are used to create the optical signals in the first place).

Academic text (1993)
I can actually put a lever on this and I can just have a little settable kind of tunable speed control.
There are, I think, hundreds of tunable parameters.
Now I would like to demonstrate to you a very widely tunable laser.
Now, this is a tunable excimer laser.

The Manhattan Project (1986)
The cavity is tunable, and its frequency is slowly changed.

Academic text (1996)
One company called Redshift has made a a different kind of thermal imager that uses a tunable filter.
When spectrally filtered, it becomes a narrowband yet tunable source of light.

Academic text (2012)
Opportunities for replacement of solid-state devices include switches, phase shifters, and tunable filters for both commercial and defense applications.

Academic text (2003)
TeachSpin has introduced diode laser spectroscopy for exploring atomic physics with a tunable laser.

Academic text (2006)

Synonyms

adjustable

vstunable

35 3.4

Can be changed to fit different people or things

is focused on settings and performance adjustments rather than general physical changes

adaptable

vstunable

23 3.4

Able to change to fit new situations

is changed intentionally via settings for performance rather than naturally fitting new conditions

customizable

vstunable

9 4.1

You can change it to suit your needs or tastes

is used for technical settings or frequency changes rather than personal preference tailoring

changeable

vstunable

8 3.5

Able to become different or not stay the same

is changed intentionally by settings for performance or frequency rather than changing by itself

configurable

vstunable

3 4.6

Able to be changed or set up to match a person's needs

is adjusted for performance or frequency rather than initial setup choices

mutable

vstunable

3 7.7

Likely to change often

is adjusted intentionally for settings and performance rather than changing unpredictably

modifiable

vstunable

1 5.1

Can be changed to fit new needs

is adjusted for performance or frequency rather than broad changes in form

regulable

vstunable

1 6.7

You can change it so it works at different levels

is adjusted specifically for settings or frequency rather than continuous regulation

reconfigurable

vstunable

Specialized

1 6.4

You can change it to work in different ways

focuses on smaller performance or frequency adjustments rather than structural rearrangement

alterable

vstunable

1 4.2

Able to be changed

is meant for specific settings or performance adjustments rather than vague changeability

parameterizable

vstunable

Specialized

7.9

Can be changed by setting options

is adjusted broadly by settings rather than by precise technical controls

regulatable

vstunable

Specialized

6.0

Can be changed or set by a device like a knob

is set manually or conceptually for performance or frequency rather than device automation

Antonyms

immutable

Specialized

14 7.3

No one can change it after it is made

fixed

1.8

Stays the same and cannot be changed

How Adjustable

flexible

155 3.4

tunable

1 4.6

configurable

3 4.6

fixed

1.8

Surface Forms

tunable positive

Morphology

tunable = tune (transparent) = tune + able

Formed by the verb 'tune' plus the productive adjectival suffix '-able', meaning 'able to be tuned', which is directly inferable.

Etymology

The word tunable comes from tune ('to adjust sound or settings') plus the ending -able ('can be done'). So a tunable thing is something you 'can adjust' to get the right sound or setting.