retortable

Adjective

retortable (comparative more retortable, superlative most retortable)

1. To which one may produce a counterargument; answerable.
   • The appeal to common sense, then, is altogether retortable, and leaves the whole question in statu quo; both matter and mind resting on exactly equivalent evidence, be it sufficient or insufficient.1846, John Daniel Morell, An Historical and Critical View of the Speculative Philosophy of Europe in the NIneteenth Century, page 438
   • No doubt all such attempts will be met, more or less, by the old watch-cries of materialism and pantheism; but we protest in the outset against any such charges, not only as hasty and ill-judged, but perfectly retortable.1856 April, “Revuews: Modern English Psychology”, in British and Foreign Medico-chirurgical Review, volume 17, page 359
2. (not comparable) Suitable for heating in a retort.
   • But with contracts made for the retortable material which can be mined without difficulty, yet which it is in the collieries' interests not to permit to be mixed with the coal, a fair price can no doubt be arrived at.1918, E. H. Cunningham Craig, F. Mollwo Perkin, A.G.V. Berry, A. E. Dunstan, “A New British Oil Industry”, in Journal of the Institution of Petroleum Technologists, page 118
   • The zone of retortable oil shale underlying the pattern wells was from 340- to 380- foot depth.1919, A. Gene Collins, Andrew A. Cochran, Arthur M. Hartstein, Atomic Absorption Methods of Analysis of Oilfield Brines: Barium, Calcium, Copper, Iron, Lead, Lithium, Magnesium, Manganese, Potassium...
3. (not comparable, food processing) Suitable for retort processing.
   • Retortable pouches were the first to come on the scene as retortable packaging.2012, Takashi Kadoya, Food Packaging, page 186
   • Retortable trays have a semi-rigid or rigid boy and a sealable flexible lid.2018, Dennis R. Heldman, Daryl B. Lund, Cristina Sabliov, Handbook of Food Engineering, page 1088