avoidable

Avoidable is an adjective describing something that can be avoided or prevented through choice, action, or intervention. It implies that the outcome is not inevitable and that with different behavior, planning, or conditions the result could have been different. The term is frequently used in health, safety, economics, and risk management to distinguish what is avoidable from what is not.

Etymology: Avoidable derives from the verb avoid, which comes from Old French eviter, from Latin evitare, meaning to shun or escape. The suffix -able indicates the capability of being.

Usage: In public health and medicine, avoidable mortality or avoidable injuries refer to deaths or injuries that could have been prevented with timely, effective care or safer conditions. In safety and risk assessment, avoidable risks are hazards that can be mitigated by preventive measures, training, or changes in process. In everyday language, avoidable mistakes are errors that could be prevented with planning, attention, or correction of known flaws. The term often appears in discussions of policy, budgeting, and project management, where reducing avoidable costs or risks is a goal.

See also: Unavoidable, preventable, risk management, safety, public health.