malleability

American  

[mal-ee-uh-bil-i-tee] / ˌmæl i əˈbɪl ɪ ti /

Sometimes malleableness

noun

1. the state of being malleable, or capable of being shaped, as by hammering or pressing.

   the extreme malleability of gold.

2. adaptability.

   the malleability of an infant's brain.

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Other Word Forms

• nonmalleability noun
• nonmalleableness noun
• unmalleability noun

Etymology

Origin of malleability

First recorded in 1640–50; malle(able) ( def. ) + -ability ( def. )

Compare meaning

How does malleability compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• ductility vs. malleability

Example Sentences

Fanning’s ability to hop between a thorny Norwegian drama and a high-concept alien movie is exactly the kind of exciting malleability that audiences forced to wade through modern cinema’s sea of sameness deserve.

From Salon

His stylistic malleability, undoubtedly a professional asset, led to inconsistency.

From The Wall Street Journal

The malleability of the dog genome allows for enormous physical variety, she explained, meaning that breeders can push features to extremes—squashing snouts, piling on wrinkles.

From The Wall Street Journal

A portrait of a body twice represented, Mehiel’s piece stressed the solidity and malleability of their own body, and the beauty they find within and around it.

From Los Angeles Times

However, this suggests more about the relative malleability of our persona at the age of 20, when we’re still figuring out who we are and often look to movies for inspiration.

From Salon