Additionality

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The property of being supplementary or extra in nature is characterized by its contribution of value that surpasses what is already present
2. It refers to the feature of providing enhanced benefits or value that exceeds the current conditions or circumstances
3. The characteristic of contributing benefits beyond what is already available

Etymology: "Additionality" is a plain formation: the adjective "additional" with the suffix "-ity" added to it. "Additional" comes from Latin "additionalis", built on "additio", the act of adding, and the Latin root beneath it has a long descent through Old French and Middle English before the adjective settled into English. The suffix "-ity" traces back through Old French "-ité" and Latin "-itās" to a Proto-Indo-European ending that marked abstract qualities, which is why it turns an adjective into a noun naming a state or quality. In this case the noun names a quality: the property of an action, investment or policy that delivers benefit over and above what would have happened anyway. The formation is a modern one built on the existing adjective, so the word reads as a technical coinage rather than an old inheritance. Its meaning follows the adjective closely, and the noun simply turns "extra" into a measurable characteristic that can be assessed and compared.

Synonyms: incrementality, supplementation, augmentation, enhancement, expansion

Antonyms: reduction, decrease, diminution, contraction, cutback