mutability

[ myoo-tuh-bil-i-tee ]

noun

1. the quality of being liable to undergo change or alteration:

   With the realization of cancer's mutability, they now fear it might not be the same disease in everyone.

2. the quality of constantly changing; transient or transitory quality:

   National borders can have a permanence that contrasts with the almost infinite mutability of the cultures contained within them.

3. Computers. (in object-oriented programming) the characteristic of an object having properties whose values can change while the object itself maintains a unique identity:

   The mutability of the "sales report" object allows properties like sales period and salesperson to be updated without losing the reference to the report elsewhere in the application.

Other Words From

• hy·per·mu·ta·bil·i·ty noun
• hy·per·mu·ta·ble·ness noun
• non·mu·ta·bil·i·ty noun
• non·mu·ta·ble·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of mutability¹

First recorded in 1400–50; from French mutabilité, from Latin mūtābilitāt-, stem of mūtābilitās “changeability,” equivalent to mūtābili(s) “changeable” ( mutable ( def ) ) + -tās -ty ²( def )

Example Sentences

ABC News’ latest release of debate rules indicates that the network will proceed with microphone mutability, but the Harris campaign—which would really like to capture Trump being inexplicably rude when it’s not his time to speak—isn’t conceding just yet.

From Slate

The effect is of a delirious mutability, in which the poems coalesce almost in spite of themselves.

From Los Angeles Times

I think there’s a certain theme of mutability.

From New York Times

You could take that on the obvious level with the whole Skrull-y thing, but I also think it’s about the mutability of where someone is in their life.

From New York Times

At one point, as I was peppering him with questions about his mutability, he gestured to consumers throughout the store.

From New York Times

Related Words

• anxiety
• fluctuation
• insecurity
• uncertainty
• volatility
• vulnerability
• weakness