sustainability

[suh-stey-nuh-bil-i-tee]

noun

the ability to be sustained, supported, upheld, or confirmed.

Environmental Science. the quality of not being harmful to the environment or depleting natural resources, and thereby supporting long-term ecological balance: The committee is developing sustainability standards for products that use energy.

Origin of sustainability

sustain + -ability

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for sustainability

Contemporary Examples of sustainability

But increasingly, when it comes to energy use and sustainability, parking lots are actually becoming part of the solution.
Paved Paradise
The Daily Beast
September 24, 2014
But the New Year is also about planning ahead, refining a longer-term vision of balance and sustainability.
What to Drink in 2014: 13 Chefs and Critics Picks
Jordan Salcito
January 11, 2014
Of course, as is often the case, there is a price to be paid for sustainability.
Wood Cards Are a Green Alternative to the Classic Plastic Gift Card
Daniel Gross
November 29, 2013
Restoring data security, information integrity, and the sustainability of our shared web is not about closing doors.
The Internet Shouldn’t Own You
Eric Klinker
October 10, 2013
Markets alone will not ensure the sustainability of our fragile planet.
Big Idea: The Time for Divided Nations Is Over
Ian Goldin
August 1, 2013

Word Origin and History for sustainability

1907, in reference to a legal objection, from sustainable + -ity. General sense (in economics, agriculture, ecology) by 1972.

Sustainability is defined as a requirement of our generation to manage the resource base such that the average quality of life that we ensure ourselves can potentially be shared by all future generations. ... Development is sustainable if it involves a non-decreasing average quality of life. [Geir B. Asheim, "Sustainability," The World Bank, 1994]