ability

¹ American  

[uh-bil-i-tee] / əˈbɪl ɪ ti /

noun

PLURAL

abilities

1. power or capacity to do or act physically, mentally, legally, morally, financially, etc.

   Synonyms:

   dexterity , expertness , proficiency , capability

2. competence in an activity or occupation because of one's skill, training, or other qualification.

   the ability to sing well.

3. abilities, talents; special skills or aptitudes.

   Composing music is beyond his abilities.

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-ability ² American  

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

   capability.

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ability British  

/ əˈbɪlɪtɪ /

noun

1. possession of the qualities required to do something; necessary skill, competence, or power

   the ability to cope with a problem

2. considerable proficiency; natural capability

   a man of ability

3. (plural) special talents

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Related Words

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.

Other Word Forms

• subability noun

Etymology

Origin of ability¹

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

Origin of -ability¹

Middle English -abilite, from French -abilité, from Latin -ābilitās (inflectional stem -ābilitāt- )

Compare meaning

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

• capability vs. ability

Example Sentences

“To me,” Chesney said in a video for the Harbaugh Coaching Academy, “it’s that ability to celebrate little successes and then you watch someone just kind of sit up a little taller, swell up a little bit more with pride and then they want to build that confidence, they want to repeat that success.”

From Los Angeles Times

Their ability to survive and spread in the aftermath of the dinosaur extinction makes them a key group for understanding how reptiles adapted during a period of dramatic environmental change.

From Science Daily

Barron’s has also written positively about Nvidia’s chances of continuing to be the dominant provider of AI chips, as well as Broadcom’s ability to become the key second player in the industry.

From Barron's

Many on the Street have questioned Strategy’s ability to service its preferred dividends and debt interest costs, seeing as its Bitcoin holdings generate no income and its legacy software business yields little free cash.

From Barron's

A senior U.S. official said a Russian base in Libya or at Port Sudan could expand its ability to project power and allow it to operate with impunity.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• capability
• capacity
• competence
• intelligence
• qualification
• skill
• strength
• talent
• understanding