Nonviability

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The condition where something cannot succeed, function, or thrive adequately
2. A situation characterized by a lack of feasibility or potential for growth and success
3. The state in which something is incapable of living, progressing, or achieving success

Etymology: Nonviability is a plain formation: the prefix "non-" attached to "viability," so it names the state of not being viable. "Viability" itself comes from "viable," which in its original sense described a newborn able to survive outside the womb, and the idea of being capable of living or developing on its own is what the whole family of words carries. Adding "non-" simply reverses that, so the noun describes a situation where a plan, project, or venture lacks the basic capacity to survive or grow. The word's sense has stayed close to its parts, which is why it reads so transparently. Where "viability" can describe a proposal, a business, or a species, "nonviability" points to the failure of exactly that quality. Its use is most common in technical and formal writing, where a precise term for lacking feasibility is useful.

Synonyms: infeasibility, impracticality, unsustainability, unworkability, unfeasibility

Antonyms: viability, feasibility, sustainability, workability, practicality