Meanings
- archaicuncountableSynonym of rationality or reasonability.
Since God’s revelation comes to full expression in human life, it is henceforth life with all its ambiguities and lack of rationability that becomes the norm.
1968 February 13, Gabriel Moran, “The Future of Catechetics”, in Vision and Tactics: Toward an Adult Church, New York, N.Y.: Herder and Herder, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 262 more examples
And, if on twenty pounds of fluid, one of humours is to be defalcated: ſhould you evaporate the whole together to one ſcruple, would you not always find in that ſcruple ſtill one grain of humours?—I will ſay no more, nor lay greater ſtreſs on that ſubjeft, but leave every one to judge for himſelf, according to his own private ſenſe, of the rationabllity of ſuch proceedings.
1776, [Francis Spilsbury], “Scurvy”, in Free Thoughts on Quacks and Their Medicines, Occasioned by the Death of Dr. Goldsmith and Mr. Scawen; […], London: […] J. Wilkie, […] and Mr. Davenhill, […], →OCLC, section III (Of the Scurvy and Gout, […]), pages 79–80‘[…] And we will be fighting or panicking or heaven knows what, without knowing why – and if there ever was a reason it will have dissipated long before.’ ‘Yes. To cope with this, we both have to have our reason – no, our rationability – in perfect order. And our feet on firm ground.’
1999, Severine Kirchhof, “Per Fretum Febris: Midday, Saturday 22 December”, in The Threefold Garland, London: Macmillan, →ISBN, page 56Synonyms: rationality, reasonability
Synonyms & antonyms
nounSynonym of rationality or reasonability.
Origin
- Classical Latinratiōnābilitās
- Middle Englishracionabilite
- Englishrationability
From Middle English racionabilite, a learned borrowing from Classical Latin ratiōnābilitās. By surface analysis, ration(able) + -ability. Piecewise doublet of reasonability.
More words from Middle English, Classical Latin
Full word history & related roots →Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
rationability. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rationability
“rationability.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rationability. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “rationability,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rationability.
Source: rationability on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.