mobility English · revision 10350

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1490|origins=fro mobilité|origins=la mobilitas}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /mə(ʊ)ˈbɪlɪti/ ''(UK)''; /moʊˈbɪlɪti/, /moʊˈbɪləti/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is late Middle English, [[bor|fro|mobilité|t=changeableness, fickleness]] and directly from Latin mōbilitās, mōbilitātem, activity, speed, figuratively changeableness,^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002) from mōbilis, movable, easy to move (see [[mobile]]).^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Ability to move or be moved: the early 15th century in Etymonline, 1490 in the OED.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Freedom of movement of the limbs is from 1528,^(OED 1989) and changeableness, fickleness, from 1567.^(OED 1989) The ability of persons to move about is from 1777,^(OED 1989) and in sociology the possibility of movement between social levels from 1900.^(Etymonline) A different word, mobility, the mob or common people, formed on [[mob]] after [[nobility]] in the late 17th century, is now rare.^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1490 – ability to move.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1528 – freedom of the limbs.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1567 – changeableness.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1777 – movement of persons.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1900 – social mobility.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The quality of being [[mobile]]; the ability to move or be moved easily.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(sociology)'' Movement of people between social classes or occupations.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[automobility]]

+ * [[intermobility]]

+ * [[upward mobility]]

+ * [[social mobility]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[mobile]]

+ * [[mobilization]]

+ * [[mobilize]]

+ * [[move]]

+ * [[motion]]

+ * [[mob]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}