eligibility

eligibility — noun

1. the official status of meeting the rules, age limits, or other conditions needed

1.nounB2
Definition

the official status of meeting the rules, age limits, or other conditions needed to take part in a program, receive a service, or apply for a position

Example

Baraka checked whether his visa type affected his eligibility for the scholarship.

eligibility for [opportunity] — checking conditions

New rules changed the eligibility criteria for housing assistance in the city.

eligibility criteria + for [program]

Common collocations
  • determine eligibility
  • meet eligibility
  • review eligibility
  • eligibility criteria
  • eligibility requirements
  • eligibility period
Synonyms
  • qualification

    focuses on specific credentials or training earned rather than meeting general conditions

  • fitness

    emphasises suitability in ability or health rather than official rule compliance

  • suitability

    broader; can refer to personal compatibility rather than formal criteria

  • worthiness

    adds a moral or merit-based dimension not present in 'eligibility'

Antonyms
  • ineligibility

    the direct opposite — the state of not meeting the required conditions

  • disqualification

    implies a specific action or ruling that removes eligibility

Usage Note

Frequently appears in the patterns 'eligibility for [something]' and 'eligibility to [do something]'. Subject is typically a person or a group, and the noun is often modified by adjectives such as 'full', 'immediate', or 'limited'.

Common Mistakes

I need to check my eligibility of the job.
I need to check my eligibility for the job.
The correct preposition after 'eligibility' is 'for', not 'of', when naming the opportunity.
He has eligibility to the program.
He has eligibility for the program.
Use 'for', not 'to', after 'eligibility' when referring to a specific program or benefit.

2. the quality of appearing to be a suitable marriage partner, particularly because

2.nounC1
Definition

the quality of appearing to be a suitable marriage partner, particularly because of financial status, physical appearance, or social standing

Example

In some communities, a family's land and income determine a young person's eligibility for marriage.

eligibility for marriage — traditional social context

Meera's reputation and education were seen as signs of her eligibility by local matchmakers.

eligibility + possessive: perceived by matchmakers

Common collocations
  • eligibility for marriage
  • eligibility as a spouse
  • marriage eligibility
Synonyms
  • desirability

    a broader term for being wanted as a partner; less tied to formal social criteria

  • marriageability

    a close synonym but even more restricted in register and frequency

Antonyms
  • undesirability

    the opposite quality — being considered unsuitable as a partner

Usage Note

Less common in modern everyday English; found more often in older literature, historical contexts, or discussions of traditional matchmaking. Frequently paired with a possessive determiner ('her eligibility', 'his eligibility').

Word family

  • eligible
    adjectiveB2
  • ineligible
    adjectiveB2
  • ineligibility
    nounC1
  • eligibly
    adverbC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words relate to being acceptable for a role or opportunity, but they differ in scope and connotation. Eligibility is the most rule-based: it refers to meeting official conditions (age, residency, membership) set by an institution. Qualification is narrower — it points to specific training, certifications, or experience earned by the person. You can be eligible for a job without having the exact qualifications, and vice versa. Fitness leans toward physical or mental capability (fitness to drive, fitness for duty) and carries a more practical ability sense. Suitability is the broadest and most subjective — it takes into account personal compatibility, preferences, and context rather than hard rules. For example, a candidate may be eligible for a position (meets all conditions), qualified for it (holds the required degree), and yet not suitable for the team (poor cultural fit).

eligibility ↗qualification ↗fitness ↗suitability ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • eligibility for benefits
  • eligibility to participate
  • eligibility requirements
  • determine eligibility

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Eligibility comes from the Latin word eligibilis, meaning 'fit to be chosen'. This in turn came from eligere, a combination of ex- ('out') and legere ('to choose, pick, gather'), so the original image was of 'picking someone out' from a group. The word passed through French into English legal and administrative language, where it took on the modern sense of meeting formal conditions. The secondary meaning related to marriage suitability developed in the 19th century and appears most often in literary and historical writing.