interchangeability
|in-ter-change-a-bil-i-ty|
🇺🇸
/ˌɪntərtʃeɪndʒəˈbɪlɪti/
🇬🇧
/ˌɪntətʃeɪndʒəˈbɪlɪti/
can be swapped without change
Etymology
'interchangeability' originates from English, specifically from the adjective 'interchangeable' + the suffix '-ity', where 'inter-' comes from Latin meaning 'between' and 'change' comes from Old French 'changier' (from Late Latin 'cambiare') meaning 'to make different or to exchange'.
'interchangeability' developed from the verb 'interchange' (formed from the prefix 'inter-' + 'change' in Middle/Late Middle English), then the adjective 'interchangeable' appeared (18th–19th century), and the abstract noun 'interchangeability' arose to name the quality or state.
Initially related to the action or process of exchanging (the act of interchanging), it evolved into a noun describing a stable property: the ability or quality of being exchanged or substituted without loss.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the quality or state of being interchangeable; the condition in which one thing can be exchanged or substituted for another without loss of function, suitability, or meaning
The interchangeability of the components made repairs quicker and cheaper.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Idioms
Last updated: 2025/08/13 22:05