— expendability , n.
/ik spen"deuh beuhl/ , adj.
1. capable of being expended.
2. (of an item of equipment or supply) consumed in use or not reusable.
3. considered to be not worth keeping or maintaining.
4. Mil. (of personnel, equipment, or supplies) capable of being sacrificed in order to accomplish a military objective.
n.
5. Usually, expendables . an expendable person or thing.
[ 1795-1805; EXPEND + -ABLE ]