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visibility

n.
US //ˌvɪzəˈbɪɫɪti// UK //vˌɪzəbˈɪlɪti// vis·i·bil·i·ty
  1. 1 clarity of sight (n.)
    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.

    Example

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

    Example

    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. 2 public awareness (n.)
    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.

    Example

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

    Example

    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.

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  1. 3 programming scope (n.)
    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.

    Example

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

    Example

    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

Origin

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

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