English edit

Etymology edit

utter +‎ -ability

Noun edit

utterability (countable and uncountable, plural utterabilities)

  1. (uncountable) The state or quality of being expressible in words, especially audibly.
    • 1851, Thomas Carlyle, chapter 5, in Life of Sterling:
      He flashed with most piercing glance into a subject; gathered it up into organic utterability, with truly wonderful despatch, considering the success and truth attained; and threw it on paper with a swift felicity.
  2. (countable) An idea or feeling which can be expressed in words.
    • 2006, "Reflections 3 (Research Training Sessions 2006)," Sint-Lucas School of Architecture (Belgium), p. 34:
      Fredrik Nilsson talked about new modes of knowledge production (Mode1 and Mode2), transdisciplinarity, ‘minor or nomadic’ sciences versus ‘royal or legal’ sciences, knowledge of visibilities and utterabilities and examples of the architectural practice as knowledge production.

References edit

  • Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., 1989.