validity
C1Formal / Academic / Legal / Technical
Definition
Meaning
The quality of being logically or factually sound, well-grounded, or legally binding.
The extent to which a concept, conclusion, test, or argument is well-founded, justified, and reflects reality; also, the legal acceptability of a contract, election, or document.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily used as an uncountable noun. Concerns the 'soundness' or 'truth' of an argument, or the 'legality' or 'authenticity' of a document or process. Often paired with qualifying adjectives (e.g., 'scientific validity', 'contractual validity').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Spelling is identical. Potentially more frequent in American legal discourse due to the constitutional emphasis on due process.
Connotations
Neutral and formal in both varieties. In legal contexts, it strictly implies conformity to law; in academic/scientific contexts, it implies methodological soundness.
Frequency
Comparably frequent in academic, legal, and business texts in both varieties. Slightly more common in American English corpora due to higher volume of legal and business publications.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The validity of + NOUN PHRASE (e.g., the validity of the argument)to have validityto give validity to + NOUN PHRASEto cast doubt on the validity of + NOUN PHRASEVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The jury is still out on the validity of...”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Concerns the legal force of contracts, agreements, or licences. 'We must verify the validity of the supplier's insurance certificate.'
Academic
Central to research methodology, especially in sciences and social sciences. 'The study's internal validity was compromised by small sample size.'
Everyday
Used to question the truth or fairness of a general claim. 'I doubt the validity of his excuses for being late.'
Technical
In computing/logic, refers to the correctness of data, code, or an argument form. 'The parser checks the XML for validity against the schema.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- to validate
American English
- to validate
adverb
British English
- validly
American English
- validly
adjective
British English
- valid
American English
- valid
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The validity of my passport lasts for ten years.
- He questioned the validity of her story.
- The voucher has lost its validity.
- Scientists are still debating the validity of the study's results.
- The lawyer challenged the validity of the contract in court.
- For the test to be useful, its validity must be established.
- The philosophical argument's validity hinges on a rarely examined presupposition.
- Critics have cast serious doubt on the external validity of the laboratory findings.
- The constitutional validity of the new statute will be tested before the Supreme Court.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'VALID-ity' – if something is VALID, it has the quality of validity.
Conceptual Metaphor
VALIDITY IS A FOUNDATION (a shaky argument lacks a solid foundation). VALIDITY IS A CURRENCY (an idea has more or less validity in the marketplace of ideas).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating as 'валидность' in non-technical contexts – it's a heavy calque. Use 'обоснованность' (for arguments), 'действительность' (for documents, legality), or 'законность'.
- Do not confuse with 'value' (ценность). Validity is about correctness, not worth.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'validity' where 'valid' (adjective) is needed. *'The ticket is validity.' (INCORRECT) vs. 'The ticket is valid.' (CORRECT).
- Treating it as a countable noun: *'The argument has several validities.' (INCORRECT).
- Confusing 'validity' (logical/legal soundness) with 'reliability' (consistency over time).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would 'validity' be LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is almost always used as an uncountable (mass) noun. You do not say 'validities' in standard usage.
'Validity' asks 'Are we measuring the right thing?' (accuracy/truth). 'Reliability' asks 'Would we get the same result if we repeated the measurement?' (consistency). A test can be reliable (consistent) but not valid (measuring the wrong thing).
Yes, in the context of documents (tickets, passports, visas, licences), 'validity' often refers to the period for which it is legally acceptable, e.g., 'The visa's validity is six months.'
'Valid'. It is used far more frequently in everyday language than the noun 'validity' (e.g., 'a valid point', 'a valid ticket').
Collections
Part of a collection
Science and Research
B2 · 43 words · Academic and scientific research methodology.
Academic Vocabulary
C1 · 36 words · Formal academic language used in scholarly writing.
Critical Thinking
C1 · 49 words · Vocabulary for structured logical reasoning and analysis.
Scientific Terminology
C1 · 44 words · Precise vocabulary used in scientific disciplines.
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