English Reference
Noun

usability

n. uncountable
B2 Upper Intermediate UK /jˌuːzəbˈɪlɪti/ us·abil·i·ty Software Engineering

n.how easy and pleasant a tool or website is to use. If something has good usability, you can understand how it works without getting frustrated.

n.the degree to which a product, system, or interface can be used by specified consumers to achieve quantified objectives with effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction.


SIMPLE

The new app design focuses on better usability.

CONTEXTUAL

The development team conducted several rounds of testing to identify usability issues that were confusing new customers during the checkout process.

COMPLEX

While the software offers a comprehensive suite of advanced features, its poor usability often discourages novice users from exploring beyond the most basic functions.

Usage

Often paired with 'testing' or 'design' to describe the process of making products more user-friendly.

Google won by combining technical rank, usability, and scale at exactly the moment the rest of the Internet was ready to abandon the old order.

Ars Technica· 7 Aug 2026

From usable + -ity or use + -ability.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated