competence

American  

[kom-pi-tuhns] / ˈkɒm pɪ təns /

noun

• competences
  plural

1. the quality of being competent; adequacy; possession of required skill, knowledge, qualification, or capacity.

   He hired her because of her competence as an accountant.

2. an income sufficient to furnish the necessities and modest comforts of life.

3. sufficiency; a sufficient quantity.

4. Law. (of a witness, a party to a contract, etc.) legal capacity or qualification based on the meeting of certain minimum requirements of age, soundness of mind, citizenship, or the like.

5. Embryology. the sum total of possible developmental responses of any group of blastemic cells under varied external conditions.

6. Linguistics. the implicit, internalized knowledge of a language that a speaker possesses and that enables the speaker to produce and understand the language.

7. Immunology. immunocompetence.

8. Geology. the ability of a fluid medium, as a stream or the wind, to move and carry particulate matter, measured by the size or weight of the largest particle that can be transported.

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competence British  

/ ˈkɒmpɪtəns /

noun

1. the condition of being capable; ability

2. a sufficient income to live on

3. the state of being legally competent or qualified

4. embryol the ability of embryonic tissues to react to external conditions in a way that influences subsequent development

5. linguistics (in transformational grammar) the form of the human language faculty, independent of its psychological embodiment in actual human beings Compare performance langue parole

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competence Scientific  

/ kŏm′pĭ-təns /

1. The ability of bacteria to be undergo genetic transformation.

2. The ability to respond immunologically to an antigen, as in an immune cell responding to a virus.

3. The ability to function normally because of structural integrity, as in a heart valve.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• competences
  plural

Etymology

Origin of competence

First recorded in 1585–95; compet(ent) + -ence

Explanation

If you have competence, you're qualified or well prepared to do something. A driving test will show if you have competence behind the wheel. If your dad discovers a new dent in his car each time you've borrowed it, don't be surprised if he questions your competence as a driver. The words competence and competency are sometimes used interchangeably, although competence is better when describing the quality of being well qualified. Competency is more appropriate in a legal sense, referring to the ability of a person to make decisions or stand trial.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

competence competences

Someone who has accumulated $2 million or more in retirement savings has demonstrated financial discipline and competence.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026

Among the advantages, he cited "strong competence of the German industry, debt funding capability from the German state and joint experience within the community" on previous fighter jet projects.

From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026

"When favoritism and cronyism take precedence over competence in selecting a commander, the result is as predictable as fire burning paper," he said.

From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026

“They took some form of knife or blade, and put a 250 foot long gash into the beautiful facade of what took so much work, competence, and money to build and complete,” Trump said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 21, 2026

The experience cut him deeply, in particular the fact his competence lay exposed to the review of a bureaucrat over whom he had no influence.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

These types of companies "will move elsewhere" if they can't find the right IT competences in Sweden, argues Jeppeson.

From BBC ● Apr. 15, 2026

"I was very happy there, I could work, people saw me as a person with competences and not like a problem," she said.

From Reuters ● Feb. 23, 2022

Instead of "left" versus "right," think of two different core competences.

From Salon ● Aug. 19, 2020

“It’s the degree of specialization, the number of factories you’d need and the number of competences to make all the different parts,” Fowler said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2018

These patiently and painstakingly accumulated vast acquirements and competences needed but one thing more—opportunity—to convert themselves into triumphant action. 

From Is Shakespeare Dead? From my autobiography. by Mark Twain

Related Words

• appropriateness
• capability
• capacity
• competency
• expertise
• fitness
• know-how
• proficiency
• qualification
• savvy
• skill
• suitability