Disposabilities

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The qualities or characteristics that allow for something to be disposable or easily discarded
2. The potential for an item or resource to be used and thrown away without concern for its longevity
3. The state of being suitable for disposal or replacement after use in various contexts and applications

Etymology: "Disposabilities" is simply the plural of "disposability," which means readiness to be discarded. It is built from "dispose" with the suffix "-ability," a combination that English inherited through Middle French from Latin "-abilitas," itself formed from "-abilis," the source of "-able." The plural form is the one the word takes when it refers to several distinct kinds or instances of that readiness, such as the various things a manufacturer might make cheaply and throw away. The base "dispose" traces back to Old French "disposer," which ultimately comes from Latin "disponere," meaning to arrange or set in order. Its sense of getting rid of something arose later, so the root meaning of arranging sits behind a word now associated with rubbish.