viability

[vahy-uh-bil-i-tee]

noun

1. 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.

2. the capacity to operate or be sustained.

   The viability of the company was guaranteed by the success of its new product.

Other Word Forms

• nonviability noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of viability¹

First recorded in 1820–30; vi(able) ( def. ) + -ability ( def. )

Example Sentences

A spokesperson for the British Medical Association, the trade union for doctors in the UK, said extending National Insurance to LLPs would be highly likely to erode "the financial viability of many small, doctor-led practices".

Read more on BBC

"As humans, we should make conscious decisions to protect the living and non-living things around us. Facing evidence of viability loss, we need to act before it is too late."

Read more on Science Daily

The company’s mention of exploring rare earths mining at its iron ore facilities fueled Monday’s rally, despite commercial viability concerns.

Read more on Barron's

Biffa would have to prove that the firm relied on a written assurance given by Slater about the scheme's viability, and that this led to financial losses.

Read more on BBC

They are betting that the proximity to natural-gas resources could reduce costs and improve the long-term viability of the data center, as many planned facilities across the U.S. have been built without power generation capabilities.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• body 
• existence 
• growth 
• living 
• man 
• person 
• soul 
• survival 
• woman