impossibility

B2 Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ɪmˌpɑsɪˈbɪliti/ UK /ɪmˌpɒsɪˈbɪliti/ See IPA manual

Freq #27266

Meanings

1

noun
The fact of something being impossible.

He finally accepted the impossibility of finishing the work in one day.
2

noun
Something that cannot be done or cannot happen.

Meeting the deadline is an impossibility; we simply don't have enough time.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the fact of something being... impossibleness

Opposites

certainty inevitability possibility

Word family

Forms impossibilities

Related forms absurdity

Etymology

From Middle French impossibilité, from Latin impossibilitās. By surface analysis, im- + possibility and impossible + -ity.

impossibilité Middle French impossibilitās Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas

External links

# impossibility

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ɪmˌpɑsɪˈbɪliti/
**IPA (UK):** /ɪmˌpɒsɪˈbɪliti/
**Frequency rank:** 27266

## Meanings
1. The fact of something being impossible.
2. Something that cannot be done or cannot happen.

## Examples
- He finally accepted the impossibility of finishing the work in one day.
- Meeting the deadline is an impossibility; we simply don't have enough time.

## Antonyms
- certainty
- inevitability
- possibility

## Related Forms
- absurdity

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: impossibilité
- Root: impossibilitās

## Etymology
From Middle French impossibilité, from Latin impossibilitās. By surface analysis, im- + possibility and impossible + -ity.

## AI Etymology
Impossibility comes from Middle French impossibilité, from Latin impossibilitās. By surface analysis, im- + possibility and impossible + -ity. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern nominal form is built from the named base and affix. In current use, the main senses are “The fact of something being impossible” and “Something that cannot be done or cannot happen”.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas

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