visibility
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visibility
The quality of being able to be seen. It describes how easy or difficult something is to make out, often depending on light, weather, or distance.
Bei dichtem Nebel ist die Sichtbarkeit auf der Autobahn sehr schlecht.
In thick fog, visibility on the highway is very poor.
The word is derived from the adjective 'sichtbar' (visible). The ending '-keit' turns adjectives into nouns and describes the quality or state. 'Sichtbarkeit' is therefore literally the state of being visible.
Die neuen Straßenlaternen sollen die Sichtbarkeit für Fußgänger in der Nacht verbessern.
The new streetlights are intended to improve visibility for pedestrians at night.
You can recognize the meaning from the context. If it is about weather, traffic, or light, it refers to physical visibility. If it is about media, politics, or social issues, it refers to public perception.
Wegen des Rauchs war die Sichtbarkeit im Gebäude stark eingeschränkt.
Because of the smoke, visibility in the building was severely limited.
In the context of weather and traffic, 'Sichtbarkeit' is often combined with adjectives like 'gut' (good), 'schlecht' (poor), 'gering' (low), or 'eingeschränkt' (limited).
Die Polizei warnt vor schlechter Sichtbarkeit aufgrund von Nebel.
The police are warning of poor visibility due to fog.
When it is about public perception, 'Sichtbarkeit' is often used with verbs like 'erhöhen' (to increase), 'schaffen' (to create), 'fördern' (to promote), or 'bekommen' (to get).
Durch die Preisverleihung bekam die junge Autorin endlich mehr öffentliche Sichtbarkeit.
Through the award ceremony, the young author finally gained more public visibility.
view / visibility
'die Sicht' and 'die Sichtbarkeit' can both describe how well something can be seen. 'Die Sicht' is often used from the perspective of the person looking, especially with weather, fog, or obstacles. 'Die Sichtbarkeit' more often describes the quality of an object or person: how easy is something to make out? Learners may confuse the words because both have to do with seeing. A practical tip: in fog, people often say 'schlechte Sicht' (poor visibility); for clothing in the dark, 'gute Sichtbarkeit' (good visibility) is more likely.
Eine helle Jacke erhöht die Sichtbarkeit im Dunkeln.
A bright jacket increases visibility in the dark.
Wegen des starken Regens war die Sicht auf der Straße sehr schlecht.
Because of the heavy rain, visibility on the road was very poor.