adj.
Pronunciation: ' ma-l ē - ə -b ə l, ' mal-y ə -b ə l, ' ma-l ə -b ə l
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English malliable, from Medieval Latin malleabilis, from malleare to hammer, from Latin malleus hammer ― more at MAUL
Date: 14th century
1 : capable of being extended or shaped by beating with a hammer or by the pressure of rollers
2 a : capable of being altered or controlled by outside forces or influences b : having a capacity for adaptive change
synonyms see PLASTIC
– mal · lea · bil · i · ty \ ˌ ma-l ē - ə - ' bi-l ə -t ē , ˌ mal-y ə -, ˌ ma-l ə - \ noun