comparability
|com-pa-ra-bi-li-ty|
🇺🇸
/kəmˌpærəˈbɪləti/
🇬🇧
/kəmˌpærəˈbɪlɪti/
able to be compared
Etymology
'comparability' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'comparabilis', where 'com-' meant 'together' and 'parare' meant 'to prepare/arrange'.
'comparability' changed from Latin 'comparare' (to compare/put together) through Old French 'comparer' and Middle English 'compare', and eventually formed the English noun 'comparability' (via the adjective 'comparable').
Initially it was related to 'making equal' or 'bringing together' (the sense of preparing or arranging), but over time it evolved to the modern sense of 'the quality of being able to be compared'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the quality or condition of being comparable; able to be compared.
The comparability of financial statements across countries is crucial for international investors.
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Noun 2
the extent to which data, measurements, or results from different sources or methods can legitimately be compared (often used in statistics, accounting, and research).
Researchers raised concerns about the comparability of the two surveys because they used different sampling methods.
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Last updated: 2025/08/19 00:29