-ability

UK/-əˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/UK/-əˈbɪl.ə.ti/Australia, Canada, US[-əˈbɪl.ə.ɾi]

suffix

Forms a noun from a verb or an adjective by changing from -able; ability, inclination or suitability for a specified function or condition.

“cook + -ability → cookability”

OriginMiddle English -ablete ← Middle French -ableté ← Latin -abilitas →
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Meanings

suffix-ability (noun-forming suffix, usually uncountable, plural -abilities)

plural -abilities · alternative -ibility

  1. uncountableusuallyForms a noun from a verb or an adjective by changing from -able; ability, inclination or suitability for a specified function or condition.

    cook + -ability → cookability

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
-ness-osity

Origin

  1. Latin-abilitas
  2. Middle French-ableté
  3. Middle English-ablete
  4. English-ability

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. Equivalent to -able + -ity. See ability.

More words from Middle English, Middle French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

French -abilité
  • -abilitéforms a noun from a verb
German -barkeit
  • -barkeitforms a noun from a verb
Hungarian -hatóság, -hetőség
  • -hatóságforms a noun from a verb
  • -hetőségforms a noun from a verb
  • képességforms a noun from a verb
Indonesian -itas, -abilitas
  • -itasforms a noun from a verb
  • -abilitasforms a noun from a verb
Malay keboleh--an, keter--an
  • keboleh--anforms a noun from a verb
  • keter--anforms a noun from a verb
Polish -ość
  • -ośćforms a noun from a verb
Portuguese -abilidade
  • -abilidadeforms a noun from a verb
Romanian -abilitate, -ibilitate
  • -abilitateforms a noun from a verb
  • -ibilitateforms a noun from a verb
Swedish -barhet
  • -barhetforms a noun from a verb
Turkish -abilirlik, -abilite
  • -abilirlikforms a noun from a verb
  • -abiliteforms a noun from a verb
Cite this entry
APA

-ability. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-ability

MLA

“-ability.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-ability. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “-ability,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-ability.

Source: -ability on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.