Discreditability

/ˌdɪskrɛdɪtəˈbɪləti/ noun

Definition

The quality of being discreditable; the state of being able to damage someone's reputation or credibility.

Etymology

From discreditable (discredit + -able) + -ity (forming an abstract noun). 'Discredit' comes from dis- (opposite) + credit (from Latin 'credere,' to believe), with -ability making it a noun for the capacity to be damaged.

Kelly Says

In politics and law, 'discreditability' is hugely important—lawyers calculate whether someone's past actions are 'discreditable' enough to ruin their testimony, using this technical term to measure reputational damage!

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