fungible

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 8, 2007 is: fungible • \FUN-juh-bul\  • adjective 1 : being of such a nature that one part or quantity may be replaced by another equal part or quantity in the satisfaction of an obligation 2 : interchangeable 3 : flexible Examples: Jessica believes her unique skill set makes her an indispensable member of the company rather than just one of many fungible employees. Did you know? "Fungible" -- which derives from the Latin verb "fungi," meaning "to perform" (no relation to the noun "fungus" and its plural "fungi") -- is a word that often shows up in legal contexts. Something fungible can be exchanged for something else of the same kind. For example, we could say "oil is a fungible commodity." That means that when a purchaser is expecting a delivery of oil, any oil of the stipulated quantity and quality will usually do. Another example of something fungible is cash. It doesn't matter what twenty dollar bill you get -- it's still worth the same amount as any other twenty dollar bill. In contrast, something like a painting isn't fungible; a purchaser would expect a specific, identifiable item to be delivered. In broader use, "fungible" can mean "interchangeable" or sometimes "changeable, fluid, or malleable." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.