Word
readability
Phoneticsread·abil·i·ty
US/ˌɹidəˈbɪɫɪti/
UK/ɹˌiːdəbˈɪlɪti/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. how easy it is to read and understand a piece of writing. It depends on the length of the words and the sentences.
n. the ease with which a text can be read and understood. Often measured by the complexity of vocabulary and the length of syntactic structures.
Examples
“The report has high readability because it uses simple words.”
“The editor suggested changing the long sentences to improve the readability for a younger audience.”
“While the author's prose is technically sophisticated, the lack of paragraph breaks and complex footnotes significantly reduces the readability for general readers.”
Examples
simple
“The report has high readability because it uses simple words.”
contextual
“The editor suggested changing the long sentences to improve the readability for a younger audience.”
complex
“While the author's prose is technically sophisticated, the lack of paragraph breaks and complex footnotes significantly reduces the readability for general readers.”
Real-World Examples
“Therefore if you scale it up, you may need to manually reduce the spaces in between, as larger sizes should be tighter to improve readability.” Etymology
From readable + -ity or read + -ability.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/readability