adaptability en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Southern-England) audio
- (Canada) audio
- [əˌdæp.təˈbɪl.ə.ɾi] (Australia, Canada, General-American)
- /əˌdæptəˈbɪləti/ (Australia, Canada, General-American)
- /əˌdæptəˈbɪlɪti/ (Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Proto-Indo-European *h₂ep- Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *h₂ptós Proto-Italic *aptos Latin aptus Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu. Proto-Italic *-ājō Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Proto-Indo-European [Term?]der. Proto-Italic *apjō Latin apiō Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Italic *-tos Latin -tus ▲ Latin -ō Latin -tō Latin aptō Latin adaptōder. Middle English *adapten English adapt Proto-Indo-European *-dʰlom Proto-Italic *-ðlom Proto-Italic *-ðlis Latin -bilis Latin -ābilis Old French -ablebor. Middle English -able English -able English adaptable Proto-Indo-European *-teh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-ts Proto-Indo-European *-teh₂ts Latin -itāsder. Old French -itebor. Middle English -ite English -ity ▲ English adapt ▲ Latin -ābilis ▲ Proto-Indo-European *-teh₂ts Proto-Italic *-tāts Latin -tās Latin -abilitas Middle French -abletébor. Middle English -ablete English -ability English adaptability From adaptable + -ity or adapt + -ability.
Meanings
-
(countable, uncountable) The quality of being adaptable; a quality that renders adaptable.
But the real test of my adaptability came senior year, when I became chapter president of DKA.
2020 June 30, Spencer Wright, “My fraternity taught me the secret to surviving a pandemic”, in CNN, archived from the original on 01 Aug 2026:
-
(countable, uncountable) Variability in respect to, or under the influence of, external conditions; susceptibility of an organism to that variation whereby it becomes suited to or fitted for its conditions of environment; the capacity of an organism to be modified by circumstances.
Typically, tarantulas are either terrestrial or arboreal, but the Chilobrachys natanicharum can live in both enivronments^([sic – meaning environments]), the researchers said, demonstrating its adaptability.
2023 September 26, Hafsa Khalil, “Electric blue tarantula species discovered in Thailand”, in CNN, archived from the original on 06 Oct 2023:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| adaptabilities | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Coordinates
Deriveds
unadaptability · maladaptability · pathoadaptability
Relateds
adaptation · adaptedness · adaptly · adaptably · adaptness · adaptively · adapter · adaptorial · adaptatively · adapt · adaptative · adaptational · adaptableness · adaptional · adaptativeness · adaption · adaptable · adaptive · adaptitude
Synonyms
Translations (31)
es adaptabilidad (quality of being adaptable; a quality that renders adaptable) · pt adaptabilidade (quality of being adaptable; a quality that renders adaptable) · ro adaptabilitate (variability in respect to, or under the influence of, external conditions) · fr adaptabilité (quality of being adaptable; a quality that renders adaptable) · pt flexibilidade (quality of being adaptable; a quality that renders adaptable) · cmn 可塑性 (variability in respect to, or under the influence of, external conditions) · ru адапти́вность (quality of being adaptable; a quality that renders adaptable) · fi sopeutuvuus (variability in respect to, or under the influence of, external conditions) · it adattabilità (quality of being adaptable; a quality that renders adaptable) · ca adaptabilitat (quality of being adaptable; a quality that renders adaptable) · hi अनुकूलन क्षमता (quality of being adaptable; a quality that renders adaptable) · cmn 適應性 /适应性 (quality of being adaptable; a quality that renders adaptable) · ru приспособля́емость (quality of being adaptable; a quality that renders adaptable) · ru приспособля́емость (variability in respect to, or under the influence of, external conditions) · ast adautabilidá (quality of being adaptable; a quality that renders adaptable) · ne अनुकूलनशीलता (quality of being adaptable; a quality that renders adaptable) · pl adaptowalność (quality of being adaptable; a quality that renders adaptable) · bg изменчи́вост (variability in respect to, or under the influence of, external conditions) · ro adaptabilitate (quality of being adaptable; a quality that renders adaptable) · cs přizpůsobivost (quality of being adaptable; a quality that renders adaptable) · fi sopeutumiskyky (quality of being adaptable; a quality that renders adaptable) · gv so-lhoobaght (quality of being adaptable; a quality that renders adaptable) · gl adaptabilidade (quality of being adaptable; a quality that renders adaptable) · ru адапти́вность (variability in respect to, or under the influence of, external conditions) · bg адапти́вност (quality of being adaptable; a quality that renders adaptable) · pl przystosowawczość (variability in respect to, or under the influence of, external conditions) · es flexibilidad (quality of being adaptable; a quality that renders adaptable) · bg приспособи́мост (quality of being adaptable; a quality that renders adaptable) · pl adaptabilność (variability in respect to, or under the influence of, external conditions) · fi sopeutuvuus (quality of being adaptable; a quality that renders adaptable) · de Anpassungsfähigkeit (quality of being adaptable; a quality that renders adaptable)