ability
noun/əˈbɪl.ə.ti/ · /əˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/
Etymology First attested in the 1300s. From Middle English abilite (“suitability, aptitude, ability”), from Old French ableté, from Latin habilitās (“aptness, ability”), from habilis (“apt, fit, skillful, able”); equivalent to able + -ity.
7 senses
1
Obsolete Suitableness.
2
The quality or state of being able; capacity to do or of doing something; having the necessary power.
- This phone has the ability to have its software upgraded wirelessly.
- This wood has the ability to fight off insects, fungus, and mold for a considerable time.
1 more example
- Imagine a country where children do nothing but play until they start compulsory schooling at age seven. Then, without exception, they attend comprehensives until the age of 16. Charging school fees is illegal, and so is sorting pupils into ability groups by streaming or setting.2013 July 19, Peter Wilby, “Finland spreads word on schools”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 6, page 30:
3
The legal wherewithal to act.
- The ability to shift profits to low-tax countries by locating intellectual property in them, which is then licensed to related businesses in high-tax countries, is often assumed to be the preserve of high-tech companies.2013 June 22, “T time”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8841, page 68:
4
Physical power.
Now limited to Scotland dialects
5
Archaic Financial ability.
6
A unique power of the mind; a faculty.
7
A skill or competence in doing; mental power; talent; aptitude.
- a mixed-ability class
- They are persons of ability, who will go far in life.
4 more examples
- She has an uncanny ability to defuse conflict.
- Then the disciples, euery man according to his abilitie, determined to send reliefe vnto the brethren which dwelt in Iudea.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Acts 11:29:
- The public men of England, with much of a peculiar kind of ability1848, Thomas Macaulay, The History of England from the Accession of James II:
- Natural abilities are like natural plants, that need pruning by study -1884, Francis Bacon, Of Studies:
- Synonyms
- capacity, faculty, capability, skill, talent, cleverness, dexterity, aptitude, aptness
- Antonyms
- inability, unability, disability
- Derived terms
- ability grouping, ability point, ability to pay, diffability, entransy, Motability, nonability, notability, subability, superability, transability
- Related terms
- able