a. and sb. [f. L. submers-, pa. ppl. stem of submergĕre to SUBMERGE, prob. after F. submersible. Cf. mod.L. submersibilis and INSUBMERSIBLE (1865).]
A. adj. That may be submerged, covered with, plunged into, or made to remain under water; esp. of a boat (see quot. 1889).
1866. Pall Mall Gaz., 10 July, 5. A German named Flack has invented a submersible vessel, to be used in laying torpedoes for the defence of harbours.
1889. Sleeman, Torpedoes (ed. 2), 288. Torpedo boats which … are capable of being propelled at considerable depths below the surface of the water are usually termed ‘submarine’ torpedo boats; as however this is not the normal state of these vessels, they should rather be designated as ‘submersible’ torpedo boats.
1892. Athenæum, 16 July, 101/1. The place [Notre Dame de Londres] derives its name from Ondra, which in the local dialect signifies a humid or submersible country.
B. sb. A submersible boat.
1900. Daily Chron., 8 Dec., 7 (Cass. Suppl.). The better type [of submarine boats] known as ‘submersibles.’
1901. Edin. Rev., April, 343. Already in France the submarine is being displaced by the submersible.
