ABILITY Definition & Meaning

View synonyms for

ability

[ uh-bil-i-tee ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

plural abilities.

power or capacity to do or act physically, mentally, legally, morally, financially, etc.
Synonyms: , , ,
competence in an activity or occupation because of one's skill, training, or other qualification:
the ability to sing well.
abilities, talents; special skills or aptitudes:
Composing music is beyond his abilities.

-ability

a combination of -able and -ity, found on nouns corresponding to adjectives ending in -able:
capability.

ability

/ əˈ��ɪ��ɪ��ɪ /

noun

possession of the qualities required to do something; necessary skill, competence, or power
the ability to cope with a problem
considerable proficiency; natural capability
a man of ability
plural special talents

Discover More

Other 51�Թ�s From

��ܲ�a·��i·�ٲ� noun plural subabilities

Discover More

51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of ability¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English (h)abilite, from Middle French, from Latin �󲹲�� “aptitude,” equivalent to habili(s) “handy” ( able ) + -�� -ty ²; replacing Middle English ablete, from Old French, from Latin, as above

Origin of ability²

Middle English -abilite, from French -��é, from Latin -�� (inflectional stem -��- )

Discover More

51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of ability¹

C14: from Old French from Latin �󲹲�� aptitude, handiness, from habilis able

Discover More

Compare Meanings

How does ability compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

Discover More

Synonym Study

Ability, faculty, talent denote qualifications or powers. Ability is a general word for power, native or acquired, enabling one to do things well: a person of great ability; ability in mathematics. Faculty denotes a natural ability for a particular kind of action: a faculty of saying what he means. Talent is often used to mean a native ability or aptitude in a special field: a talent for music or art.

Discover More

Example Sentences

Will the withdrawals from the second account affect my gross income and ability to collect our monthly Social Security benefit?

From

At the National Academy panel, O’Malley warned that the Social Security Administration’s ability to provide effective customer service to beneficiaries and applicants faced collapse under Dudek and DOGE.

From

I am concerned that she may not have the ability to carry out all of the functions required of an executor.

From

As long as the drug remains illegal under federal law, many big financial institutions will avoid working with cannabis companies, limiting their ability to get business loans, open bank accounts and accept credit cards.

From

He was a sought-after performer because of his ability to tap into a character, going deep into their idiosyncrasies to flesh them out far beyond the pages of a script.

From

Related 51�Թ�s

Browse