availability
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Pronunciation
- IPA: /əˌveɪ.ləˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/ (UK); /əˌveɪ.ləˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/ (US)[1]
Etymology
It is formed from available and -ity,[2][3] as -ability after available.[3]
Earliest recorded meaning
The quality of being available, capability of advantageous use: 1803.[4][2][3][5]
Semantic evolution
In American politics it meant the quality in a candidate that suggests a good chance of success, apart from merit, through personal popularity (1848);[4][6] Bartlett noted the same thing in the papal elections, where a candidate's old age often favoured him.[6] Chambers marks this sense archaic.[7] Something available, an available person or thing, is from 1840 in HTOED and 1867 in the OED.[5][4]
Timeline
Modern meaning
Noun
- The quality or state of being available.
- An available person or thing.
- (US politics, archaic) A candidate's prospect of success through popularity rather than merit.
Word family
- bioavailability
- interavailability
Related words
References
- ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
- ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
- ^ a b c Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
- ^ a b c d e Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
- ^ a b c Kay, Christian; Roberts, Jane; Samuels, Michael; Wotherspoon, Irené, eds. (2009), Historical Thesaurus of the Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford: Oxford University Press; online edition (2024)
- ^ a b Bartlett, John Russell (1848), Dictionary of Americanisms, New York: Bartlett and Welford
- ^ The Chambers Dictionary (2008), 11th ed., Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap