possibility

American  

[pos-uh-bil-i-tee] / ˌpɒs əˈbɪl ɪ ti /

noun

possibilities plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• possibilities
  plural

Etymology

Origin of possibility

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English possibilite, from Late Latin possibilitās, from Latin possibil(is) possible + -itās -ity

Explanation

If something could realistically happen, it's a possibility. So winning the lottery is a slight possibility, but becoming king of the world is not even a remote possibility. In one sense, a possibility is an option: "One possibility is that the UFO is just a shooting star." It can also mean more of a potential: "This house might look like an abandoned shack, but it's got so much possibility!" All meanings of possibility share the sense that something is able to happen, or is possible. The Latin root is possibilis, "that can be done."

Related Words

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