fallibility
UK: ˌfælɪˈbɪlɪti | US: ˌfælɪˈbɪlɪti
n. the tendency to make mistakes or be wrong
n. the quality of being capable of error
fallibility = fall<deceive/err> + ibility<capacity for>
- fall<deceive/err>: From Latin fallere ("to deceive, disappoint, escape notice"), related to fallo ("I deceive"). Retains the core idea of error or failure.
- ibility<capacity for>: A noun-forming suffix derived from Latin -ibilitas, indicating the quality or state of being capable of something (e.g., possibility, flexibility).
Etymology Origin:
The word traces back to Late Latin fallibilitas, combining fallibilis ("liable to err") and the abstract noun suffix -itas. It entered English in the 15th century via Middle French, reflecting the philosophical concept that human judgment is inherently imperfect. The morphemes fall- and -ibility logically merge to express "the capacity to err."
The fallibility of eyewitness testimony is well-documented in legal studies.
Scientists acknowledge the fallibility of early hypotheses in the research process.
His speech emphasized the fallibility of even the most advanced AI systems.
The doctrine of papal infallibility contrasts with human fallibility.
Historical records remind us of the fallibility of memory over time.