Word
visibility
Phoneticsvis·i·bil·i·ty, stress on the third syllable
US/ˌvɪzəˈbɪɫɪti/
UK/vˌɪzəbˈɪlɪti/
Definitions
01clarity of sight
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. how far you can see based on the weather or light.
n. the degree to which things may be seen, specifically the distance at which objects can be clearly identified under certain atmospheric conditions.
“The heavy fog meant that visibility on the road was less than ten metres.”
“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'
Antonyms
02public awareness
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. how much people notice or know about a person, a company, or an issue.
n. the state of being noticed or prominent in the public eye or within a specific market.
“The new advertising campaign helped increase the brand's visibility among young shoppers.”
“The activist argued that the documentary provided much-needed visibility for the challenges faced by rural communities.”
Teaching tip
Commonly used in marketing and social media contexts.
Synonyms
03programming scope
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Computing Technical
n. the parts of a computer program where a specific piece of information can be seen or used.
n. the scope within which a variable, function, or object is accessible or can be referenced directly.
“If you change the variable's visibility to private, other classes cannot access it.”
“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
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“Clear skies helped visibility in Spain, although there were concerns due to high temperatures and the continued risk of wildfires.” “At the beginning of the eclipse, heavy cloud cover across much of Scotland left visibility poor.” Etymology
From Middle French visibilité, from Late Latin visibilitas; equivalent to visible + -ity.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Domain
- 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
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/visibility