mobility

American  

[moh-bil-i-tee] / moʊˈbɪl ɪ ti /

noun

mobilities plural

1. the quality of being mobile.

2. Sociology. social mobility.

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mobility British  

/ məʊˈbɪlɪtɪ /

noun

1. the ability to move physically

   a knee operation has restricted his mobility

   mobility is part of physical education

2. sociol (of individuals or social groups) movement within or between classes and occupations See also vertical mobility horizontal mobility

3. time that a resident of a secure unit is allowed to spend outside the unit, as preparation for an eventual return to society

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• intermobility
  noun
• nonmobility
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• mobilities
  plural

Etymology

Origin of mobility

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English mobilite, from Latin mōbilitās. See mobile, -ity

Compare meaning

How does mobility compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• motility vs. mobility

Explanation

Mobility is the ability to move freely. If your basketball injury causes you to lose mobility in your knee, that means you can’t move it very well. Mobility often refers to whether you can move an injured body part, like a joint or a limb, but it can also describe movement in general. If you have great mobility on the tennis court, that means you move freely and easily, running down shots with ease. Mobility can also describe movement between different social or economic levels. Your fancy new job may offer opportunities for upward mobility.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mobility mobilities

Three lifts have been installed to help people with mobility issues while accessible toilets have also been added on every floor.

From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026

Not surprising, then, grandparenting has been associated with improved mobility, less depression and improved cognition, especially for older cohorts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

Exercise is commonly recommended as one of the first treatments for reducing symptoms and maintaining mobility.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026

“Yes, Starlink may bully its way into mobility, but it would take years to acquire and clear the right spectrum,” he wrote.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 25, 2026

And the major institutions with which they come into contact are designed to prevent their mobility.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

Climate mobilities, while presenting benefits, also pose significant challenges.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 2, 2024

According to the researchers, the study serves as an intervention itself, providing insights that might otherwise remain unexplored, fostering a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities associated with climate mobilities.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 2, 2024

"We are in talks about the 11 countries where we are present ... it is up to Nissan to decide," Nicolas Schottey said at the Autonomy Mobility conference about new mobilities in Paris.

From Reuters ● Mar. 23, 2023

My first time at the Voice, in 1966, was a fluke typical of the overnight mobilities of life and work in New York then.

From The New Yorker ● Sep. 2, 2018

He has studied in a very ingenious manner, not only the mobilities, but also the law of recombination which regulates the spontaneous return of the gas to its normal state.

From The New Physics and Its Evolution by Poincaré, Lucien

Related Words

• flexibility
• maneuverability