scalability
gb/skˈeɪləbˈɪlɪti/ us/skˈeɪləbˈɪlɪti/
C1
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
technical
C1
property
1
ability to handle growth
Scalability is how well something can grow or deal with more users, work, or demand.
Usage pattern:
scalability of [something]; [something] has/offers/lacks scalability; design/build [something] for scalability
Common mistake:
Do not confuse scalability with scale. Scale is size or level; scalability is the ability to increase in size or workload successfully.
Synonyms
ability to scale (A plain-language equivalent, especially common in business and technology.)
|
expandability (Emphasizes the ability to become larger, often physically or structurally.)
|
elasticity (In cloud computing, often means the ability to increase or decrease resources automatically.)
Antonyms
non-scalability (The inability to grow or handle increased demand effectively.)
|
limited capacity (Emphasizes a fixed or low amount that can be handled.)
|
inflexibility (Emphasizes inability to adapt, not only inability to grow.)
Collocations
high scalability
|limited scalability
|software scalability
|system scalability
|cloud scalability
|platform scalability
|scalability requirements
|scalability issues
|scalability testing
|designed for scalability
Themes
technology
|business
|software
|operations
|growth
Examples
- The app worked well for a few hundred users, but its scalability was never tested at a national level.
- Investors liked the product because it had strong scalability and could be sold in many markets.
- The team redesigned the database to improve scalability during peak traffic.
Learner examples
- Scalability is important if many people will use the website.
- The company needs better scalability as it grows.
Grammar
Dictionary form
scalability
IPA
GB/skˈeɪləbˈɪlɪti/
US/skˈeɪləbˈɪlɪti/
Syllables & stress
scalab - il - ity (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (scalab)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: scalability
- Plural: scalabilities
Expressions
built for scalability
1/bˈɪlt fɚ skˈeɪləbˈɪlɪti/
fixed phrase
business
designed to grow well
If something is built for scalability, it is designed so it can grow easily.
Examples
- The platform was built for scalability, so adding new customers did not require a complete redesign.
- A startup needs technology that is built for scalability from the start.
horizontal scalability
1/hˌɔɹɪzˈɔntəl skˈeɪləbˈɪlɪti/
fixed phrase
technical
scaling by adding units
Horizontal scalability means making a system stronger by adding more machines or units.
Examples
- The service uses multiple servers to achieve horizontal scalability during busy periods.
- Horizontal scalability is essential for apps that may suddenly gain millions of users.
scalability bottleneck
1/skˈeɪləbˈɪlɪti bˈɑtəlnˌɛk/
fixed phrase
technical
growth-limiting weak point
A scalability bottleneck is the part that stops a system from growing or handling more work.
Examples
- The engineering team identified the search service as the main scalability bottleneck.
- Caching helped remove a scalability bottleneck in the checkout process.
scalability issue
1/skˈeɪləbˈɪlɪti ˈɪʃu/
fixed phrase
technical
problem with handling growth
A scalability issue is a problem that appears when something gets bigger or busier.
Examples
- The site crashed on launch day because of serious scalability issues.
- The company found a scalability issue in its payment system before the holiday season.
vertical scalability
1/vˈɚtɪkəl skˈeɪləbˈɪlɪti/
fixed phrase
technical
scaling by upgrading capacity
Vertical scalability means making one machine or component stronger so it can handle more work.
Examples
- Vertical scalability is limited by the maximum memory and processor power of the server.
- The database first relied on vertical scalability, but later the company moved to a distributed design.