The words Able and Abel are both homophones. These words belong to different parts of speech. They also have a unique meaning of their own.
The term able is the ability of a person to perform a task. The term Abel is a character from the tales in the Holy Bible.
Able vs Abel
The difference between the term able and Abel is that able refers to the capacity of a person to do a job assigned to him. The term able is an adjective. On the other hand, the term Abel is the name of a character from the stories of the Holy Bible.
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The word able is useful as an adjective. The definition of the term is to perform a duty without failing in it. A person is able if he can successfully achieve a task.
The term also means to have the power, opportunity, or capacity to perform a given job.
Abel was the younger brother of Cain. He was the second son of the firstborns, Adam and Eve. The first child was a farmer, and Abel was a shepherd.
The stories of Cain and Abel are narrated to children. The Holy Bible makes numerous references to these characters.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Able | Abel |
|---|---|---|
| Part of speech | It is an adjective. | It is a proper noun. |
| Derived from the word | The French word H’able. | The Hebrew word Hebel. |
| Uses of the word | The adjective is used to denote the physical or mental capacity of a person. | The values of the character are used to inculcate moral ethics. |
| Used in | The term is used in day-to-day conversations. | The term is used in Biblical literature and story tales. |
| Occurrence of the word in daily life | Very common | Less common |
What is Able?
The word able is used as an adjective in sentences. When a person is able to do something, it means he can do something.
The noun form of the adjective is ability. It is synonymous with words such as power, capacity, and preparedness.
It denotes the physical, mental, and emotional prowess of a person to complete a chore.
The term able is also used to define a person who is intelligent or good at doing something. For example, “She is the ablest girl in the class to make a presentation”.
The word is useful as a suffix for numerous terms. The term mentally-able refers to having the characteristics of successfully performing a mental task.
People who are physically abled are those, who can do a physical job to their best potential.
The antonym of the word abled is disabled. We use this word while showing the physical or mental incapacity of an individual.
The word unable is also an antonym of the term. It means lacking the potential to do an assigned duty.
The word able is also added as a suffix to denote the capacity of being that adjective. For example, the adjective admirable refers to the ability to be admired.
What is Abel?
The term Abel is the name of a story character who was the second child of Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve are said to be the first individuals on earth by the Holy Bible.
Eve gave birth to two sons Cain and Abel. While the firstborn Cain was a farmer, Abel became a shepherd.
The Holy Bible has a very famous story about these two brothers. It states that when God asked for an offering from these two brothers, Cain gave a part of his field’s crops.
Abel, who was a shepherd, offered a flock of his sheep. God favored Abel’s offering that made Cain jealous of his younger sibling. The jealousy led him to kill his younger brother Abel.
Abel is considered to be a faithful and obedient person. He respected his parents and had a deep devotion to his God. He was compassionate, kind, and giving.
He was a righteous man and despised treachery and cruelty. His life was the epitome of kindness.
However, he succumbed to the enmity and jealousy of his elder brother and died a harsh death.
The story of Cain and Abel is often told to children. The contrasting characteristics of the brothers help in inculcating good values and faith in the minds of children.
Main Differences Between Able and Abel
- The word able is an adjective and a suffix. Whereas, the term Abel is a proper noun.
- The word able is the capacity of an individual to complete a mission. Whereas, the word Abel is a famous story character in the Bible.
- The term able is a word used in daily conversations. Whereas, the term Abel is used mainly in Biblical stories or prayers.
- The term able finds its origin in the French language. Whereas, the word Abel is derivable from the Hebrew language.
- The term able refers to the prowess, potential, and capacity of a person. Whereas, the character of Abel refers to a person who is compassionate and kind.
- https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/030908929101605202
- https://www.jstor.org/stable/1454050
- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10671188.1966.10613364
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Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.
