Meanings
plural likelihoods · alternative likelyhood
- countableuncountableThe probability of a specified outcome; the chance of something happening; probability; the state or degree of being probable.
In all likelihood the meeting will be cancelled.
2 more examples
The likelihood is that the inflation rate will continue to rise.
While starting early can increase your likelihood of attaining millionaire status, the investments you choose play an equally important role.
2017 May 16, Maurie Backman, “Here's how to become a millionaire on $56,000 a year”, in CNN Money, archived from the original on 21 Apr 2025 - countableuncountablemathematicsThe probability that some fixed outcome was generated by a random distribution with a specific parameter.
- countableuncountableLikeness, resemblance.
There is no likelihood between pure light and black darkness, […]or between righteousness and reprobation.
1614, Walter Ralegh [i.e., Walter Raleigh], chapter 3, in The Historie of the World […], London: […] William Stansby for Walter Burre, […], →OCLC, 1st book - archaiccountableuncountableAppearance, show, sign, expression.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Middle Englishliklihode
- Englishlikelihood
From Middle English liklihode, equivalent to likely + -hood.
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek εἰκός
- εἰκός (eikós)probability
Basque egiantz
- egiantzprobability
Bulgarian вероятност, вероятност
- вероятност (verojatnost)probability
- вероятност (verojatnost)mathematical likelihood
- прилика (prilika)resemblance
Catalan probabilitat, probabilitat
- probabilitatprobability
- probabilitatmathematical likelihood
- versemblançamathematical likelihood
Chinese Mandarin 可能性, 似然性
- 可能性 (kěnéngxìng)probability
- 似然性 (sìránxìng)mathematical likelihood
- 概似性 (gàisìxìng)mathematical likelihood
Dutch waarschijnlijkheid
- waarschijnlijkheidprobability
Finnish todennäköisyys, uskottavuus
- todennäköisyysprobability
- uskottavuusmathematical likelihood
- samankaltaisuusresemblance
- yhdennäköisyysresemblance
- ulkonäköappearance
French vraisemblance, vraisemblance
- vraisemblanceprobability
- vraisemblancemathematical likelihood
German Wahrscheinlichkeit
- Wahrscheinlichkeitprobability
Greek πιθανότητα, ενδεχόμενο
- πιθανότητα (pithanótita)probability
- ενδεχόμενο (endechómeno)probability
Italian verosimiglianza, verisimiglianza
- verosimiglianzaprobability
- verisimiglianzaprobability
- probabilitàprobability
- verosimiglianzamathematical likelihood
Japanese 可能性, 尤度
- 可能性 (kanōsei)probability
- 尤度 (yūdo)mathematical likelihood
Korean 가능성
- 가능성 (ganeungseong)probability
Māori tūponotanga
- tūponotangaprobability
Polish prawdopodobieństwo, wiarygodność
- prawdopodobieństwoprobability
- wiarygodnośćmathematical likelihood
- podobieństworesemblance
Portuguese probabilidade, verossimilhança
- probabilidadeprobability
- verossimilhançamathematical likelihood
- probabilidademathematical likelihood
- semelhançaresemblance
Romanian probabilitate, verosimilitate
- probabilitateprobability
- verosimilitateprobability
Russian вероя́тность, схо́дство
- вероя́тность (verojátnostʹ)probability
- схо́дство (sxódstvo)resemblance
Spanish probabilidad, verosimilitud
- probabilidadprobability
- verosimilitudmathematical likelihood
Swedish sannolikhet
- sannolikhetprobability
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with likelihood
Cite this entry
likelihood. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/likelihood
“likelihood.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/likelihood. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “likelihood,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/likelihood.
Source: likelihood on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.