viability
Americannoun
-
ability to live, especially under certain conditions.
The viability of a fetus outside the womb has increased dramatically with the advent of new technologies and procedures.
-
the capacity to operate or be sustained.
The viability of the company was guaranteed by the success of its new product.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of viability
First recorded in 1820–30; vi(able) ( def. ) + -ability ( def. )
Explanation
The noun viability means the quality of being able to happen or having a reasonable chance of success. The viability of holding your party at a restaurant might depend on how many guests they can seat. Viability comes from the Latin root vita, meaning "life." So the noun viability also refers to something's capacity to live and grow. When your dog has a litter of puppies, you can't help wondering about the viability of the tiniest one, but if you feed him with an eyedropper and keep him warm, he might make it.
Vocabulary lists containing viability
The Scoop on Net Neutrality
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The Last Lecture
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Vocabulary from the Ninth Republican Debate, February 13, 2016
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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.
Viability is different for every pregnancy, and some pregnancies will never be viable.
From Slate • Jan. 3, 2024
The update comes after a meeting of the RFU's Club Financial Viability Working Group on Wednesday evening.
From BBC • May 31, 2023
Agency for International Development and Internews to develop the “Media Viability Accelerator.”
From Seattle Times • Mar. 29, 2023
"Viability has actually been an ambiguous concept that policymakers around the country are getting away from," Seago said.
From Salon • Nov. 2, 2021
Viability wasn’t a promise, but these children were proof that I could begin to hope.
From New York Times • Jun. 18, 2021
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.
