intelligibility
UK[ɪnˌtɛlɪdʒəˈbɪlɪti]US[ɪnˌtɛlɪdʒəˈbɪlɪti]
n
the quality of being able to be understood
n
the degree to which speech or writing is clear and comprehensible
Morpheme Breakdown
intel
lig
ibility
intel
lig
ibility
Etymology
the word intelligibility is built upon the core latin verb 'intellegere', meaning to understand or comprehend. this verb itself is a compound of 'inter-' (between, among) and 'legere' (to gather, choose, read), creating a literal sense of "to choose between" or "to discern among" options, which evolved into the abstract concept of understanding. the suffix '-ibilis' was added to form the adjective 'intelligibilis', meaning understandable. finally, the english noun 'intelligibility' was formed by adding the abstract noun suffix '-ity' to this adjective base, denoting the state or quality of being understandable. the journey from the concrete act of selecting or gathering information to the modern abstract quality of clarity and comprehensibility illustrates a classic semantic evolution in language.
Analysis
Structure: intel + lig + ibility
intel: from latin 'intel-' (variant of 'inter-', meaning between, among)
lig: from latin '-lig-', root of 'legere' (to choose, gather, read)
ibility: from latin '-ibilis' (ability, capacity) + '-itas' (noun-forming suffix denoting state or quality)
Examples
the poor audio quality reduced the intelligibility of the lecture.
a key goal in aviation communication is to ensure the intelligibility of every message.
the intelligibility of his argument was compromised by its complex structure.