[mal.lea.ble] adj [ME malliable, fr. MF or ML; MF malleable, fr. ML malleabilis, fr. malleare to hammer, fr. L malleus hammer--more at maul] (14c) 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 syn see plastic -- mal.lea.bil.i.ty n