Colourableness

/ˈkʌlərəbəlnəs/ noun

Definition

The quality of being colourable; the state of appearing plausible or having a seemingly valid appearance without necessarily being true.

Etymology

From 'colourable' + '-ness' (suffix forming nouns expressing quality or state). This abstract noun emphasizes the property or characteristic of something seeming truthful or capable of being colored.

Kelly Says

Adding '-ness' to 'colourable' creates a noun that sounds incredibly formal and old-fashioned, which makes sense—this is exactly the kind of word 18th-century lawyers and philosophers loved to use when discussing whether something merely APPEARED legitimate.

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