Affordability
/əˌfɔːrdəˈbɪləti/
nounIntermediateCommonGeneral
Meaning
Questions
Definitions
1
The degree to which something is cheap enough for most people to buy.
/əˌfɔːrdəˈbɪləti/
nounneutralIntermediate
General
The quality of being affordable.
The car's affordability surprised us.
💡 Simply: How cheap something is.
More Examples
2
Concerns about affordability are impacting consumer spending.
How It's Used
Economics
"The affordability of housing is a major concern in many cities."
Marketing
"The product's affordability is a key selling point."
From "affordable", combining "afford" (Old French *afforrer* meaning "to offer, provide") and the suffix "-ability", indicating capacity or potential.
The word's usage increased significantly in the late 20th century, reflecting growing economic concerns.
Memory tip
Think of 'afford' – if you can afford it, it has affordability.
Practice
Base: afford
affordablilityaffordibilityafordability
Usage
30%Spoken
70%Written