validity
Americannoun
-
the state or quality of being valid.
to question the validity of the argument.
-
legal soundness or force.
Other Word Forms
- nonvalidity noun
- prevalidity noun
Etymology
Origin of validity
First recorded in 1540–50; from Late Latin validitās; equivalent to valid + -ity
Explanation
When you test something's validity, you see if it holds true. Are these really the best chocolate chip cookies in the world? You might enjoy testing the validity of this statement. The noun validity means genuine or authentic, but it also has a legal meaning: having legal force. Your family asked the judge to determine the validity of your grandfather's will because they weren't sure he was legally allowed to leave all his worldly goods to "the little green men from Mars." Related words include the adjective "valid" and its antonym "invalid," as well as the verb "validate."
Vocabulary lists containing validity
"The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet," Vocabulary from Act 3
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Marbury v. Madison (1803)
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"Simon's Saga," Vocabulary from Episode 7
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
None of this has moved the Supreme Court, which has shown no interest in revisiting the validity of the doctrine.
From Slate • Apr. 6, 2026
Now, that research is back under scrutiny by critics, who question the methodology, validity and implications of the papers.
From Salon • Mar. 11, 2026
In a separate case, Imamoglu is facing an even more significant legal obstacle: a lawsuit challenging the validity of his university degree -- a constitutional requirement for presidential candidates in Turkey.
From Barron's • Mar. 8, 2026
Mr. Mandelson questioned the validity of documents suggesting that he or his husband received financial gifts from Epstein.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 4, 2026
Together, they provide the means both for generating ideas and for testing their validity.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
