viability

[vahy-uh-bil-i-tee]

noun

1. ability to live, especially under certain conditions.

   The viability of a fetus outside the womb has increased dramatically with the advent of new technologies and procedures.

2. the capacity to operate or be sustained.

   The viability of the company was guaranteed by the success of its new product.

Other Word Forms

• nonviability noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of viability¹

First recorded in 1820–30; vi(able) ( def. ) + -ability ( def. )

Example Sentences

And then there is the second camp who think the clock is ticking: on her leadership and on the long-term viability of what used to be called the world's oldest and most successful political party.

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Fonda said her PAC selects candidates to back based on their climate-change record and viability.

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But the Comey case can also be seen as a test of the viability of a prosecution based purely on politics.

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The stores marked for closure either lack a path to financial viability or do not meet the physical environment Starbucks is looking for.

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All will have to prove their commercial viability and safety, and much work needs to be done.

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Related Words

• body 
• existence 
• growth 
• living 
• man 
• person 
• soul 
• survival 
• woman