possibility

American  

[pos-uh-bil-i-tee] / ˌpɒs əˈbɪl ɪ ti /

noun

plural

possibilities

1. the state or fact of being possible.

   the possibility of error.

   Synonyms:

   odds, likelihood, prospect, chance

2. something possible.

   He had exhausted every possibility but one.

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possibility British  

/ ˌpɒsɪˈbɪlɪtɪ /

noun

1. the state or condition of being possible

2. anything that is possible

3. a competitor, candidate, etc, who has a moderately good chance of winning, being chosen, etc

4. (often plural) a future prospect or potential

   my new house has great possibilities

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Etymology

Origin of possibility

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English possibilite, from Late Latin possibilitās, from Latin possibil(is) possible + -itās -ity

Example Sentences

“We will absolutely have to rationalize the overall corporate overhead of the company,” Ellison said after being asked about the possibility of layoffs.

From MarketWatch

To examine this possibility, Collin Ahrens and colleagues used the dramatic history of koala population decline and recovery as a natural experiment.

From Science Daily

By targeting how cells store energy and clear waste, plant derived compounds such as CBD and CBG may open new possibilities for treating fatty liver disease and related metabolic disorders.

From Science Daily

That possibility could lead to new discoveries in fundamental physics as well as future concepts for nanoscale electronic devices.

From Science Daily

But the home support's excitement at the possibility of a thumping turned to frustration when the try was ruled out for Tom O'Toole's knock on.

From BBC

Related Words

• action
• circumstance
• hazard
• hope
• incident
• opportunity
• probability
• prospect
• risk