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

Another possibility is that sharing fruit containing alcohol contributes to social bonding within primate groups or among other species.

From Science Daily

Film and flight are still touchstones of adventure and possibility, after all.

From Los Angeles Times

"We cannot rule out the possibility of this number increasing further," Tsang said.

From Barron's

Martin O'Neill now thinks there is a "strong possibility" he will still be in charge of Celtic when Dundee visit on Wednesday.

From BBC

Police announced the death toll in a news conference on Sunday, cautioning that they "cannot rule out the possibility of further fatalities".

From BBC

Related Words

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