# accountable

Pronunciation: say "uh-KOWN-tuh-buhl" /əˈkaʊntəbl̩/

## Adjective

1. Required to answer for one's actions or decisions when someone calls upon you to do so.
   - Simple: Having to explain or take the blame for what you do.
   - _Elected officials remain accountable to the voters who put them in office._
   - _She held herself accountable for the failure and apologized to the whole department._
2. Subject to being formally summoned and required to give a full account of one's conduct.
   - Simple: Able to be called on to explain what you have done.
   - _Trustees are accountable and may be summoned at any time to render a full account of the estate._
   - _As project lead, he is accountable and can be called before the board to explain progress._
3. Required to keep accurate records of the property or funds entrusted to one's care.
   - Simple: Having to keep correct records of money or property in your care.
   - _The fund's custodian is accountable for maintaining precise records of every transaction._
   - _Quartermasters are accountable for the equipment they sign out and must log it accurately._

## Adjective

4. Able to be explained or accounted for; having a discoverable cause or reason. *(rare)*
   - Simple: Possible to explain or give a reason for.
   - _Most of the missing time was accountable once they checked the security logs._
   - _The sudden drop in temperature proved entirely accountable, given the open window._

## Origin

First attested around 1400, formed from "account" plus the suffix "-able".

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/accountable (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).