durability
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
- undurability noun
- undurableness noun
Etymology
Origin of durability
First recorded in 1350–1400; Latin dūrābili(s) + -tās noun suffix; see durable ( def. ), -ty 2 ( def. )
Explanation
Durability is when something lasts a long time. The durability of your favorite pair of hiking boots keeps them from wearing out even when you've walked many miles in them. Use the noun durability to describe the quality of permanence or strength that keeps something working or holds it together. Your parents' thirty year marriage has durability, and your sturdy old car that keeps on running mile after mile also has durability. The Latin root word, durabilis, means "lasting or permanent," and comes from durare, "to last or harden."
Vocabulary lists containing durability
This Week in Words: January 27 - February 2, 2018
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Ad Power," "Without Commercials," and "What's Wrong with Advertising"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"The Science of Breakable Things" by Tae Keller, List 5
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“We view the move as reflecting improving confidence in the durability of AI-infrastructure spending,” Arcuri said in a Monday note.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 23, 2026
“Remember that I value durability and repairability in my decision-making for future recommendations,” I prompted, adding: “Forget that I have an interest in AI.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026
U.S. rates markets were moving from acute escalation risk toward a cautious holding pattern after the U.S.-Iran cease-fire, but confidence in durability remains limited, the strategists said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
The durability of the cease-fire is already in question.
From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026
He had, for years, taken notice of the lightness and the durability of the old cedar Indian canoes that still occasionally plied the waters of the Puget Sound.
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
