-ability

English

Alternative forms

• -ibility

Etymology

From Middle English -ablete, -iblete, -abilite, -ibilite, from Middle French -ableté, -ibleté, -abilité, -ibilité, from Latin -abilitas, -ibilitas, from -abilis (“able”) or -ibilis (“able”) + -tas or -ty

Pronunciation

(US) IPA: /əˈbɪl.ə.ti/

Suffix

-ability

1. Forms a noun from a verb; ability, inclination or suitability for a specified function or condition.

Usage notes

• Most words ending in "ability" formed in English are first attested after corresponding words ending in "able".
• Some words ending in "ability" are alterations of words of French origin ending in "abilité" or, possibly, Latin words ending in "abilitas".

Derived terms

[+] English words suffixed with -ability

terms derived using -ability

absorbability, from absorbable acceptability, from acceptable accountability, from accountable adaptability, from adaptable affability, from affable availability, from available bouncebackability capability, from capable culpability, from culpable desirability, from desirable durability flammability inability inflammability instability

liability malleability nonability palpability possibility probability readability reliability respectability stability suitability teachability traceability variability

Related terms

other terms ending in "ability"

agreeability availability avoidability disability clusterability collocability combinability countability crystallizability editability enforceability enjoyability factorizability falsifiability googlability googleability governability impassability impassibility installability investigability mappability mouldability movability

passability playability preventability printability rapability rationalizability recognizability registerability removability repairability resettability respectability scanability seeability supportability togglability tolerability treatability undoability universalisability unmappability usability washability wearability winnability writability

Translations

Forms a noun from a verb

• Hungarian: -hatóság (hu), -hetőség (hu), képesség (hu)
• Malay: keboleh--an (ms), keter--an (ms)