facility

American  

[fuh-sil-i-tee] / fəˈsɪl ɪ ti /

noun

plural

facilities

1. Often facilities

   1. something designed, built, installed, etc., to serve a specific function affording a convenience or service.

      transportation facilities;

      educational facilities;

      a new research facility.

   2. something that permits the easier performance of an action, course of conduct, etc..

      to provide someone with every facility for accomplishing a task;

      to lack facilities for handling bulk mail.

2. readiness or ease due to skill, aptitude, or practice; dexterity.

   to compose with great facility.

3. ready compliance.

   Her facility in organizing and directing made her an excellent supervisor.

4. an easy-flowing manner.

   facility of style.

5. the quality of being easily or conveniently done or performed.

6. Informal. Often facilities a restroom, especially one for use by the public, as in a theater or restaurant.

7. freedom from difficulty, controversy, misunderstanding, etc..

   facility of understanding.

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facility British  

/ fəˈsɪlɪtɪ /

noun

1. ease of action or performance; freedom from difficulty

2. ready skill or ease deriving from practice or familiarity

3. (often plural) the means or equipment facilitating the performance of an action

4. rare easy-going disposition

5. military an organization or building offering supporting capability

6. (usually plural) a euphemistic word for lavatory

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Other Word Forms

• nonfacility
  noun
• overfacility
  noun

Etymology

Origin of facility

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English facilite, from Middle French or directly from Latin facilitās; see facile, -ity

Explanation

Facility is a noun with several different meanings. Often, as in "storage facility," it's a place designed for a specific use, but it can also mean an effortlessness or ease with something. The new stadium is a great facility for showing off Olympic winter sports. At this level, all of the ice skaters show a facility that borders on magical. Likewise, the prison is a great facility for storing prisoners. Those prisoners showed a real facility for crime. Related to the French facile, which means "easy," a person who shows a facility for something makes it seem easy. This is cool, especially if that thing is difficult — or, as the French might say, difficile.

Example Sentences

Security measures in the port, an industrial facility in the south of Tenerife, increased notably on Saturday.

From BBC • May 9, 2026

Musk said early Wednesday in a social-media post the county was one of several under consideration for the facility.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

Zhu’s business began attracting attention in 2022 when one of his customers filed a civil lawsuit against Universal Meditech, which led to a court-ordered inspection of the company’s facility in Fresno.

From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026

The company also broke ground on its “10X” magnet facility in Northlake, Texas, located less than 10 miles from MP’s Independence magnet facility in Fort Worth.

From Barron's • May 7, 2026

“We gotta run, baby girl. Uncle Jack is being moved back to his apartment at the assisted-living facility and put in hospice. We need to make sure there are groceries and things of that nature.”

From "Fast Pitch" by Nic Stone

Related Words

• accommodation
• amenity
• equipment
• material
• resource
• tool