Kemustahilan

Kemustahilan is a Malay- Indonesian noun that denotes the state or quality of being impossible or highly unlikely. It describes propositions, events, or conditions that cannot occur under given rules, facts, or circumstances. The term appears in both everyday language and formal contexts, including philosophy, law, science, and logical analysis, where questions of possibility and certainty are discussed. In everyday use, it often signals a strong improbability rather than an absolute contradiction.

Etymology: The word comes from the adjective mustahil, meaning impossible, with the affix ke- and -an to form the noun. The root word mustahil itself derives from Arabic mustaḥil (مستحيل), meaning something that cannot be done. The Malay-Indonesian formation ke-...-an is used to express abstract states or qualities.

Usage and nuances: Kemustahilan can refer to logical impossibility (a proposition that cannot be true within a given system) or practical impossibility (unfeasible given resources, technology, or circumstances). Distinctions are often made with modifiers such as sangat (very) to indicate degree, or with context that clarifies whether the impossibility is theoretical or empirical.

Translation and related terms: In English, kemustahilan is often rendered as impossibility or improbability. Related terms in Malay and Indonesian include mustahil (impossible) and ketidakmungkinan (unlikelihood or impossibility).