talent
Americannoun
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talents
plural
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a special natural ability or aptitude.
a talent for drawing.
- Synonyms:
- genius, gift, capability
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a capacity for achievement or success; ability.
young men of talent.
-
a talented person.
The cast includes many of the theater's major talents.
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a group of persons with special ability.
an exhibition of watercolors by the local talent.
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Movies and Television. professional actors collectively, especially star performers.
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a power of mind or body considered as given to a person for use and improvement: so called from the parable in Matthew 25:14–30.
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any of various ancient units of weight, as a unit of Palestine and Syria equal to 3000 shekels, or a unit of Greece equal to 6000 drachmas.
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any of various ancient Hebrew or Attic monetary units equal in value to that of a talent weight of gold, silver, or other metal.
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Obsolete. inclination or disposition.
noun
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innate ability, aptitude, or faculty, esp when unspecified; above average ability
a talent for cooking
a child with talent
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a person or persons possessing such ability
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any of various ancient units of weight and money
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informal members of the opposite sex collectively, esp those living in a particular place
the local talent
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an obsolete word for inclination
Usage
What does talent mean? Talent is an exceptional natural ability, especially in a particular activity, such as music. Talent is often thought of as the kind of ability that comes without training—something that you’re born with. It is often contrasted with skill, which is an ability acquired and developed through practice. It can also be used to refer to people who are talented (which is the adjective form of talent). Example: She was a prodigy whose musical talent was obvious from a young age—she started playing the piano at the age of 2.
Synonym Usage
See ability.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of talent
First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English talente, from Latin talenta, plural of talentum, from Greek tálanton “balance, weight, monetary unit”
Explanation
If you are especially good at something, you have a talent. You can have a talent for singing or a talent for getting others to talk about themselves. People who work in creative professions are often called "the talent." In Biblical times, a talent was a unit of money, and a New Testament parable tells of a master punishing a servant for hiding, rather than investing, a bag of talents in the master's absence. The interpretation of this parable to mean that you should not hide your "God-given talents" has led to the current meaning of the word as the special qualities a person possesses.
Vocabulary lists containing talent
"Creativity at Work" and "The Hidden Secrets of the Creative Mind"
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Academy Awards, List 5
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"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 9
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
And once Stark Industries and Wayne Enterprises bankroll their respective super-squads’ fortified headquarters, they attract the universe’s talent.
From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026
Poland is seeing an artificial intelligence boom driven by U.S. tech investments, new talent, and supportive government policies.
From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026
I studied her facial expressions, her commitment to a bit, her talent for comedy way beyond her years.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
He rose through the ranks of British and European karting, before his talent helped him secure backing to get through Formula 3 and 2.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
It would be wonderful, she told us, if Eugene could win first prize in the talent show.
From "The Best School Year Ever" by Barbara Robinson
During his playing career, he featured at almost every youth level for his nation before winning 13 caps for a Belgium side that featured a long list of world-class talents for well over a decade.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
His talents caught the eye of then-paramount leader Deng Xiaoping and in 1988 he was appointed mayor of China's economic powerhouse city Shanghai, where he developed a reputation as a stalwart supporter of market reform.
From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026
Some percentage of slots would be reserved for people with special talents and skills.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
During training camp, Garrett and teammates are focused on blending their talents at all three levels of the defense.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 2026
Akhi had helped me perfect my craft and develop my natural talents of timing and speed.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
