Where does “viability” come from?

Viability comes from English -ity, from French -ité, from Latin -itas, a suffix expressing state or condition derived from Proto-Indo-European -it-.

viability (English): The property of being viable; the ability to live...

Definitions

  1. The property of being viable; the ability to live...

Ancestry of “viability”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishviableAble to live on its own; Able to be done,...
2Frenchviableviable, feasible
3Frenchvielife, the state of organisms prior to death;...
4Old Frenchvielife
5Old Frenchviḍe
6Latinvitamaccusative singular of vīta
7Latinvītalife
8Latinvīvōto live
9Proto-Italicgʷīwōlive, be alive
10Proto-Indo-Europeangʷíh₃wetito live, to be alive
11Proto-Indo-Europeangʷih₃wósalive, living
12Proto-Indo-Europeangʷeih₃w-to live

Words derived from “viability

Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷeih₃w-Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷih₃wósEvery word from Proto-Indo-European gʷíh₃weti
viability — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer