Other forms: impossibilities
An impossibility is something that cannot be done at all. A physical impossibility, sheer impossibility, the impossibility of it.
It is stronger than a difficulty and it is often overstated — most things called an impossibility are merely very hard. In law, impossibility can discharge a contract when performance genuinely cannot happen. Note the distinction philosophers keep: logical impossibility is a contradiction, and physical impossibility only breaks the laws of nature, which is a lesser thing.
1nounimpossibilitySomething that cannot be done at all.
“Finishing the whole project by Monday was a complete impossibility.”
impossibility is something that cannot be.
Latin impossibilitas is in- plus possibilis, from posse, to be able. Possible, power and potent come from the same ability.
Latin
impossibilitās
Middle French
impossibilité
English, today
impossibility
From Middle French impossibilité, from Latin impossibilitās. by surface analysis, im- + possibility and impossible + -ity.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA