Possibilities

How to spell possibilities

13 letters · 5 syllables

How to pronounce possibilities

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does possibilities mean?

1. nounThe various things that may happen or be done; potential options or outcomes.

Possibilities in a sentence

• The new role opened up several career possibilities for her.

• The architect sketched out the design possibilities for the empty plot.

Where does possibilities come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This word traces back to the Latin verb posse, meaning 'to be able', which itself was a contraction of potis esse, literally 'to be capable'. From posse came the Latin adjective possibilis, meaning 'that which can be done', and the abstract noun possibilitas for the quality of being achievable. English took the word through Old French possibilite in the 1300s, settling on the spelling shaped by the Latin -itas ending that became -ity. The same posse root powers a family of related words such as 'potent', 'possible', and even 'power'. The spelling trap lives in the soft -ssibil- middle, where the double s, the single b, and the -ities plural ending all invite slips.

How the word is built

• poss- (from posse: to be able)
• -ible (capable of)
• -ity (state/quality)
• -es (plural)