English Reference
noun

visibility

n.
US /ˌvɪzəˈbɪɫɪti/ UK /vˌɪzəbˈɪlɪti/ vis·i·bil·i·ty UK spelling visibilities

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    how far you can see based on the weather or light.

    the degree to which things may be seen, specifically the distance at which objects can be clearly identified under certain atmospheric conditions.

    Simple

    The heavy fog meant that visibility on the road was less than ten metres.

    In context

    The pilot decided to delay the landing because visibility had dropped below the safety threshold required for a manual approach.

    Usage

    often used with 'good', 'poor', or 'low'

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate

    how much people notice or know about a person, a company, or an issue.

    the state of being noticed or prominent in the public eye or within a specific market.

    Simple

    The new advertising campaign helped increase the brand's visibility among young shoppers.

    In context

    The activist argued that the documentary provided much-needed visibility for the challenges faced by rural communities.

    Teacher's tip

    Commonly used in marketing and social media contexts.

  3. 03 C1 Advanced Technical Computing

    the parts of a computer program where a specific piece of information can be seen or used.

    the scope within which a variable, function, or object is accessible or can be referenced directly.

    Simple

    If you change the variable's visibility to private, other classes cannot access it.

    In context

    The developer adjusted the visibility of the internal methods to ensure that the API remained encapsulated and secure from external interference.

    Usage

    often refers to 'private', 'protected', or 'public' access levels

Clear skies helped visibility in Spain, although there were concerns due to high temperatures and the continued risk of wildfires.

The Local· 13 Aug 2026

At the beginning of the eclipse, heavy cloud cover across much of Scotland left visibility poor.

BBC News· 13 Aug 2026

From Middle French visibilité, from Late Latin visibilitas; equivalent to visible + -ity.

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

This entry
Origin la-lat visibilitas
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated