What is the term for “assembly-able”?

Question

The context is like: “This table from IKEA comes in parts and thus ‘assembly-able’”

Meaning it can be assembled and disassembled. We have the term in my native language, literally “assemble-disassemble”.

Answer 1

In 2017 someone asked on EL&U: “Does English allow "assemblable" to be created from "assemble"?”

The general consensus at the time was virtually unanimous, users agreed that the term assemblable was a legitimate one.

Why is ‘assemblable’ acceptable?

According to experts who posted their answers on EL&U

• [it] is already used in technical texts
• As an engineer with experience with companies such as Chrysler and General Electric, I've seen used and personally vouch for the use of the term "assemblable" and its specific variant "assemblability", to describe how easy it would be for a certain multi-component design to be assembled in the manufacturing environment.
• Yes, but in my opinion, adding "-able" (two syllables) to "assemble" (3 syllables) gives a 5 syllable word.[…]. The spelling "assemblable" suggest a pronunciation with only 4 syllables, which is not true to my own pronunciation,…
• On a practical level "Assemblable" seems pretty legit use of grammar to me and so should be recognised. I'm no word nerd but making a compound word out of the verb "assemble" and the suffix "able" seems pretty simple to me and kind of what suffixes are made for.

Despite the OED listing assemblable as obsolete, an entry which was written in 1885, it is probably time for the editors at Oxford English Dictionary to update it.

Wiktionary defines it as: That can be assembled.

From Google Books:

By this construction is provided a folding sign support which is compact, truly portable and assemblable and disassemblable by one man, and which functions to satisfactorily support a sign at a high, readily visible level under adverse conditions.
_{Official Gazette of the United Staes Patent Office (1968)}

The conquering of space by steel in California in the 1960s meant new land and aerial sites free of the undesirable aspects of flat land. Promotion of the Sequoyah house — a metal structure assemblable in four hours and designed for steep slopes.
_{Building the Slope (1999)}

From a highly technical text, page 302: Product Modelling for Computer Integrated Design and Manufacture (2016)

   

Figure 4 Assemblability checking: When the parts of an assembly is classified into three cases: (a) assemblable, (b) discontinuous assembling path, and (c) no final assembling position.

Answer 2

Purely from a grammatical point of view, 'assemblable' seems valid and would mean able to be assembled. It just doesn't make sense from a logical point of view to use such a word.

Think about it: if something was described as dismantlable, meaning it was able to be dismantled (or disassembled), that would be noteworthy. Not everything can be dismantled. Some consumer goods are described as not user-serviceable, meaning the average person would not be able to take them apart and repair them. But for something to be "assemblable", it must already be in its component parts, ready for assembly. It has been created that way, in kit form, designed to be assembled, so it goes without saying that it is able to be assembled. It would be like describing clothes as "wearable" (an adjective that only exists for things that can be worn like clothing). Further, we wouldn't describe bricks as "able to be assembled into a house". Furniture like you are describing is not just 'able' to be assembled - that is the entire purpose of its design.

The recognised adjectives to describe furniture in kit form are ready-to-assemble, flat-pack or kit.

Answer 3

It is not "can be assembled* or capable of assembly, assemblable. It must be assembled otherwise you don't get a table.

In technical literature from stores like IKEA, one sees: it requires assembly.

It may be assembled outdoors or indoors.

2. Most of IKEA products require assembly.Please read the assembly instructions carefully before you start. If you have any questions on how to assemble, contact the IKEA store where you bought the product.

IKEA

Answer 4

I. "Modular" (furniture) IKEA, also in UK

OP's query

The context is like: “This table from IKEA comes in parts and thus ‘assembly-able’” Meaning it can be assembled and disassembled. .

"Modular" is the adjective used by IKEA, for furniture and kitchen, that can be assembled and disassembled. This term is also used in UK as per the website:

Ref. Designer kitchens for less - U.K.

What are modular kitchens?
Modular kitchens are kitchens that can be assembled using individual units, these units are then fitted to form the skeleton of your new kitchen. https://www.designerkitchensforless.co.uk/blog/the-guide-to-modular-kitchens/#:~:text=What%20are%20modular%20kitchens%3F,up%20with%20the%20doors%20fitted.

Another word is detachable. which is used by Alibaba and some other sites. Though "Detachable" is commonly used meaning partly removable components. It is also a term used for complete assembly and disassembly.

II. "detachable" and "modular" meaning..
Ref. Collins dictionary.

detachable..
adjective.
If a part of an object is detachable, it has been made so that it can be removed from the object.
...a cake tin with a detachable base. Examples :
The clear lenses are detachable and the frames washable.
The Guardian (2017).
. There's a car with a detachable motorcycle stored inside it.
The Guardian (2018).
.
2.modular.
adjective.
consisting of separate parts that, when combined, form a complete whole: modular furniture.
Modular classrooms were built to remedy the problem of overcrowding in schools.
Modular shelving can be configured for anything from a desktop computer to a whole data centre.
The modular design allows for the building to eventually accommodate 600 students.

III. Detachable is a versatile adjective.

In general, "detachable" is a versatile adjective that can be applied to various contexts where parts or components can be separated or disconnected, including:
-Furniture (legs, shelves, etc.).
-Mechanical systems (hoses, pipes, etc.).
-Electrical systems (connectors, cables, etc.).
-Industrial equipment (modules, components, etc.)

Edit 1.
I find assembleable and disassemblable (suggested by OP but not listed in my Oxford Advanced Learner's dictionary)not easily pronunciable as other commonly used terms like

• Modular furniture
• Flat-pack furniture
• Self-assembly furniture
• Knock-down furniture
• Detachable furniture (term used in other countries)

Ref. IKEA modular kitchen:

Ref.Alibaba.com