The word viable is spelled as /ˈvaɪəbl/, with emphasis on the first syllable. The /v/ sound is followed by the diphthong /aɪ/ and then the short vowel /ə/ which is often pronounced as "uh". The final syllable ends with the voiceless fricative /b/ and the liquid consonant /l/. Viable means capable of working successfully or having a reasonable chance of succeeding. It is commonly used in business, science, and medicine to describe ideas, plans, or organisms that have the potential to function well.
Viable is an adjective that describes something that is capable of working, functioning, or succeeding, particularly under specific conditions or circumstances. It denotes the ability of an entity, system, idea, plan, or organism to sustain itself or achieve a desired outcome.
In the context of business or economics, viable commonly refers to a project or investment that is financially feasible and likely to generate profits or positive returns. A viable business model is one that has the potential to be sustainable and profitable in the long run.
In the field of science, a viable solution or hypothesis is one that is supported by evidence, consistent with current knowledge, and has the potential to be tested and proven true or false.
When applied to living organisms, a viable organism is one that is capable of surviving, developing, and reproducing independently, usually referring to embryos or seeds. A viable fetus, for instance, denotes a developing human fetus that has the potential to survive outside the womb.
In general, viability conveys the notion that something is not only possible or feasible, but also realistic, practical, or suitable within a given context. It implies that the entity or idea has the necessary resources, attributes, or conditions to function effectively or achieve a desired outcome.
Capable of living, noting a fetus sufficiently developed to live outside of the womb, i.e. a fetus of seven months or older.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Capable of living; likely to live.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word viable originated from the Latin word viabilis which means capable of life or able to live. It is derived from the Latin verb vivere, which means to live. The term was first recorded in English in the mid-19th century, with its modern meaning of capable of working successfully.