Meanings
nounface validity (countable and uncountable, plural face validities)
plural face validities
- countableuncountableA property of a hypothesis by which its appearance suggests to an observer that the hypothesis will be determined true if tested.
- countableuncountableA property of a test by which its appearance suggests to an observer that it will measure that which it has been designed to measure.
One means toward avoiding a split between a profession and its academic discipline is to ensure that teaching programmes have face validity for members of those professions in which students might seek employment.
2004, Kirsten Malmkjær, editor, Translation in Undergraduate Degree Programmes, John Benjamins Publishing Co, page 2
Translations
Chinese Mandarin 表面效度
- 表面效度property of a test
Finnish hyväksyttävyys
- hyväksyttävyysproperty of a test
Cite this entry
APA
face validity. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/face%20validity
MLA
“face validity.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/face%20validity. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “face validity,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/face%20validity.
Source: face validity on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.