livability

American  

[liv-uh-bil-i-tee] / ˌlɪv əˈbɪl ɪ ti /

Also livableness or liveability

noun

1. the quality or fact of being suitable for living in.

   A bike-friendly community scores high in livability, which can help attract companies to settle in your area.

2. the quality or fact of being endurable or worth living.

   Attempted suicides who feel they’ve been spared for a reason—does this say something profound about the innate livability and worth of life?

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Other Word Forms

• unlivability noun
• unlivableness noun

Etymology

Origin of livability

liv(e) ¹ ( def. ) + -ability ( def. )

Example Sentences

China’s improved livability, competitive jobs and targeted state-media propaganda also attract talent back home.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026

Cameron also emphasized the homes’ livability, noting that each unit is designed to feel more like a standalone residence than a traditional townhome.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026

Its goals are broad and sorted into six groups: safety, equity, climate, mobility, livability and maintenance.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 23, 2024

Previous studies estimated where people are likely to move as a changing climate affects livability.

From Science Daily • Jan. 8, 2024

Even a superficial examination revealed the fact that nothing had ever been attempted that might have improved the livability of the cavern; nor, should I judge, had it ever been cleaned out.

From The Land That Time Forgot by Burroughs, Edgar Rice