Freezability

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The quality or capability of an object or substance to endure freezing without losing functionality or deteriorating in quality
2. The extent to which a material or item can withstand freezing temperatures while maintaining its original properties and usability
3. The degree of resistance a product or compound has against damage or alteration when subjected to subzero conditions for preservation or storage purposes

Etymology: "Freezability" is a straightforward formation: the English adjective "freezable" (able to be frozen) plus the noun-forming suffix "-ity," which turns an adjective into a noun meaning "the quality of being" that adjective. "Freezable" itself is built from the verb "freeze," which descends from Old English "frēosan," plus the ability suffix "-able," borrowed through Old French from Latin "-abilis." The "-able" suffix has a notable pattern behind it: it attaches to verbs to mean "capable of being" whatever the verb describes, so the same machinery produces words like "washable" and "breakable." Because "-ity" is so productive in English, it can be added to almost any such adjective, which is how a term like "freezability" can be coined when people need to talk about a quality without a more established word for it. The word is a modern formation, used mainly in food science, materials testing and product description, and its exact first appearance in print is uncertain.

Synonyms: freeze tolerance, freezing resistance, frost resistance, cold tolerance

Antonyms: freezability inability, freeze susceptibility