Mutability

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˌmjuːtəˈbɪlɪti/

Definitions

1. The quality of being subject to change or alteration over time, or the capacity to undergo transformation in form, character, or condition
2. The capacity to undergo transformation or the susceptibility to alteration in form, character, or state
3. The quality of being capable of change or prone to modification in nature, appearance, or condition

Etymology: Latin "mutabilitas" was built from "mutare," "to change," and the suffix "-bilis," which marks capability, so the word's core sense is literally "the capacity to be changed." The Latin noun passed into Old French as "mutabilite," and Middle English borrowed that form as "mutabilite," which is the direct ancestor of the modern English noun. The English word therefore arrived by way of French rather than straight from Latin, a route that accounts for its polished, Latinate feel. The base word "mutable" follows the same pattern, adding the English suffix "-ity" to form the noun. "Mutable" itself is a Latin borrowing, so "mutability" is a Latin root carried through French and then given a final English suffix. Its meaning has stayed close to the original: a thing that can change, whether a person's mood, a natural form, or a political system.

Synonyms: changeability, variability, instability, adaptability, flexibility

Antonyms: immutability, stability, permanence, constancy, fixedness