viabilité

viabilité¹ condition of a road

Forms

viabilité f (plural viabilités)^[1]

Etymology

The word for the condition of a road is from Late Latin viābilis (“passable”), a learned formation with the suffix -ité on the stem of the Late Latin adjective, which comes from via (“way, road”).^[2][3][4][5] Rey derives it instead from the old adjective viable (“easy to travel on”) (about 1790), itself an adapted borrowing of the Late Latin word, but allows that it may come straight from Late Latin.^[6] Littré traced it to Latin viāre (“to travel”).^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1836 for the state of a road fit for traffic.^[2][3][6] Bloch and Wartburg and the GLLF date it to 1845, in Bescherelle.^[4][5]

Semantic evolution

In town planning the word came to mean, in 1941, all the preparatory works carried out on a plot before anything is built on it: roads, drains and supply networks.^[6] The GLLF dates this sense to the Larousse of 1964.^[5] From it came the verb viabiliser (about 1950), “to make fit for vehicles”.^[6]

Timeline

• 1836 – First record, for the good state of a road.^[2][3][6]
• 1845 – Bescherelle records it.^[5][4]
• 1941 – Used in town planning for the works done before building.^[6]
• c. 1950 – The derived verb viabiliser appears.^[6]
• 1964 – The Larousse records the town-planning sense.^[5]

Meanings

Noun

1. The good condition of a road or way that allows traffic on it, as in viabilité hivernale.^[3][8][9]
2. (town planning) The works (roads, sewers, water and power supply) carried out on land before building: Les travaux de viabilité du lotissement sont finis.^[3][8][9]
3. Matériau de viabilité: the rock used in building roads.^[8][5]

Word family

• viabiliser

viabilité² ability to live

Etymology tree of viabilité²

inherited borrowed derived

Latin vīvō

French vivre

Italian vivere

Spanish vivir

Latin vīta

French vie

French viable

English viable

French viabilité

Italian vita

Romanian vită

Spanish vida

From the same root · viabilité²

English viva ← vīvō

Italian avaccio ← vīvō

Latin convivō ← vīvō

Latin revīvīscō ← vīvō

Latin supervīvō ← vīvō

Latin vīctus ← vīvō

Latin vīvāx ← vīvō

Latin vīvēscō ← vīvō

Latin vīvidus ← vīvō

Spanish vivaz ← vīvō

French survivre ← vivre

French vivant ← vivre

English vitamin ← vīta

Latin vītālis ← vīta

English viability ← viable

Forms

viabilité f (plural viabilités)^[1]

Etymology

The word for the ability to live is formed from French viable + -ité, a learned derivative.^[9][2][3][5] The adjective, recorded in 1537 of a being able to live, is itself derived from vie.^[6] The FEW files the word under Latin vīta (“life”).^[10]

Earliest recorded meaning

It first appears in 1803, in Hudellet's dissertation on the viability of the foetus, as a medical term for the natural ability of a foetus or newborn to live;^[9][6] Nysten has it in 1814.^[9][6] The GLLF dates it to Boiste, 1808.^[5]

Semantic evolution

By analogy, from 1842 (Jouffroy), it was used of anything able to live and develop.^[9][6][3] The GLLF dates the sense “ability of an undertaking to last” to Giraudoux, 1939.^[5] English borrowed it as viability in 1823.^[11] The negative inviabilité dates from the 20th century.^[6]

Timeline

• 1803 – Hudellet's dissertation on the viability of the foetus.^[9][3]
• 1808 – Boiste records it.^[5]
• 1814 – Nysten's medical dictionary has it.^[9]
• 1823 – English viability is borrowed from the French word.^[11]
• 1842 – Jouffroy uses it of whatever can live and develop.^[9][3]
• 1939 – Giraudoux uses it of an undertaking's ability to last.^[5]

Meanings

Noun

1. (medicine) The state of a foetus or newborn mature enough to live on its own.^[3][9][8]
2. (figurative) The ability of something to last and develop: On doute de la viabilité de cette réforme.^[3][9][8]