noun
Meaning 1
Suitableness.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, obsolete, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
ability
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
-
/əˈbɪl.ə.ti/
-
/əˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/
-
US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
-
Canada: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
-
rhymes with -ɪlɪti
-
CMU ARPABET: AH0 B IH1 L AH0 T IY2 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
noun
Meaning 2
The quality or state of being able; capacity to do or of doing something; having the necessary power.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
Examples
- 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.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 3
The legal wherewithal to act.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 4
Physical power.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Qualifier: now limited to Scotland dialects
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 5
Financial ability.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 6
A unique power of the mind; a faculty.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 7
A skill or competence in doing; mental power; talent; aptitude.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable
Examples
- a mixed-ability class
- They are persons of ability, who will go far in life.
- She has an uncanny ability to defuse conflict.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 8
the quality of being able to perform; a quality that permits or facilitates achievement or accomplishment
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: inability
Broader terms: quality
Narrower terms: adaptability, sensitivity, sensitiveness, competence, competency, form, interoperability, magical ability, magical power, Midas touch, penetration, physical ability, contractility, capability, capableness, totipotency, totipotence, immunocompetence
noun
Meaning 9
possession of the qualities (especially mental qualities) required to do something or get something done
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- danger heightened his powers of discrimination
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: power
Antonyms: inability
Broader terms: cognition, knowledge, noesis
Narrower terms: know-how, leadership, intelligence, aptitude, bilingualism, capacity, mental ability, creativity, creativeness, creative thinking, originality, skill, science, accomplishment, acquirement, acquisition, attainment, hand, superior skill, faculty, mental faculty, module
History
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.
Across languages
Translations
203 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Afar: dudda — quality or state of being able
- Afrikaans: vermoë — quality or state of being able
- Arabic: قُدْرَة (qudra) — quality or state of being able
- Arabic: مَقْدِرَة (maqdira) — quality or state of being able
- Arabic: اِسْتِطَاعَة (istiṭāʕa) — quality or state of being able
- Arabic: وُسْع (wusʕ) — quality or state of being able
- Arabic: قدرة (ʔudra) — quality or state of being able
- Arabic: مقدرة (maqdera, maʔdera) — quality or state of being able
- Arabic: إستطاعة (ʔesteṭāʕa) — quality or state of being able
- Armenian: կարողություն (karoġutʻyun) — quality or state of being able
- Armenian: հնարավորություն (hnaravorutʻyun) — quality or state of being able
- Asturian: capacidá — quality or state of being able
- Asturian: habilidá — quality or state of being able
- Azerbaijani: bacarıq — quality or state of being able
- Bashkir: һәләт (hələt) — quality or state of being able
- Basque: gaitasun — quality or state of being able
- Basque: trebetasun — quality or state of being able
- Basque: abilezia — quality or state of being able
- Belarusian: здо́льнасць (zdólʹnascʹ) — quality or state of being able
- Bengali: কুদরত (kudorot) — quality or state of being able
- Bengali: ক্ষমতা (khomota) — quality or state of being able
- Central Bikol: urag — quality or state of being able
- Bulgarian: вещина́ (veštiná) — quality or state of being able
- Bulgarian: кадърност (kadǎrnost) — quality or state of being able
- Bulgarian: ло́вкост (lóvkost) — quality or state of being able
- Catalan: habilitat — quality or state of being able
- Catalan: capacitat — quality or state of being able
- Chinese Mandarin: 能力 (nénglì) — quality or state of being able
- Cornish: gallos — quality or state of being able
- Czech: schopnost — quality or state of being able
- Danish: evne — quality or state of being able
- Dutch: vaardigheid — quality or state of being able
- Dutch: vermogen — quality or state of being able
- Esperanto: povo — quality or state of being able
- Estonian: võime — quality or state of being able
- Estonian: oskus — quality or state of being able
- Finnish: kyky — quality or state of being able
- Finnish: taito — quality or state of being able
- Finnish: kyvykkyys — quality or state of being able
- French: capacité — quality or state of being able
- French: pouvoir — quality or state of being able
- French: habileté — quality or state of being able
- Galician: habilidade — quality or state of being able
- Galician: capacidade — quality or state of being able
- Georgian: შესაძლებლობა (šesaʒlebloba) — quality or state of being able
- Georgian: უნარი (unari) — quality or state of being able
- German: Fähigkeit — quality or state of being able
- Gothic: 𐌼𐌰𐌷𐍄𐍃 (mahts) — quality or state of being able
- Greek: ικανότητα (ikanótita) — quality or state of being able
- Ancient Greek: δύναμις (dúnamis) — quality or state of being able
- Hebrew: יכולת (yakhólet) — quality or state of being able
- Hindi: योग्यता (yogyatā) — quality or state of being able
- Hindi: योग्यत्व (yogyatva) — quality or state of being able
- Hindi: क्षमता (kṣamtā) — quality or state of being able
- Hindi: सामर्थ्य (sāmarthya) — quality or state of being able
- Hungarian: képesség — quality or state of being able
- Indonesian: kemampuan — quality or state of being able
- Indonesian: kesanggupan — quality or state of being able
- Indonesian: kepandaian — quality or state of being able
- Irish: ábaltacht — quality or state of being able
- Irish: cumas — quality or state of being able
- Italian: abilità — quality or state of being able
- Japanese: 能力 (nōryoku) — quality or state of being able
- Khmer: សមត្ថភាព (saʼmatthaʼphiəp) — quality or state of being able
- Khmer: លទ្ធភាព (latthĕəʼphiəp) — quality or state of being able
- Korean: 능력 (neungnyeok) — quality or state of being able
- Central Kurdish: دەرەقەت (dereqet) — quality or state of being able
- Central Kurdish: لەدەس ھاتن (ledes hatin) — quality or state of being able
- Kyrgyz: мүмкүнчүлүк (mümküncülük) — quality or state of being able
- Lakota: wóokihi — quality or state of being able
- Lakota: wičhóokihi — quality or state of being able
- Latin: prudentia — quality or state of being able
- Latin: calliditas — quality or state of being able
- Latin: solertia — quality or state of being able
- Latin: ars — quality or state of being able
- Latin: scientia — quality or state of being able
- Latin: sollers acumen — quality or state of being able
- Latin: potestas — quality or state of being able
- Latin: potentia — quality or state of being able
- Latin: habilitas — quality or state of being able
- Lithuanian: gebėjimas — quality or state of being able
- Macedonian: способност (sposobnost) — quality or state of being able
- Malay: kebolehan کبوليهن — quality or state of being able
- Maltese: abilità — quality or state of being able
- Manx: jargaght — quality or state of being able
- Māori: āheitanga — quality or state of being able
- Norwegian: evne — quality or state of being able
- Occitan: abiletat — quality or state of being able
- Occitan: capacitat — quality or state of being able
- Persian: توانایی (tavânâyi) — quality or state of being able
- Persian: توان (tavân) — quality or state of being able
- Polish: zdolność — quality or state of being able
- Portuguese: habilidade — quality or state of being able
- Portuguese: capacidade — quality or state of being able
- Quechua: atiy — quality or state of being able
- Romagnol: abilitê — quality or state of being able
- Romanian: putință — quality or state of being able
- Romanian: capacitate — quality or state of being able
- Romanian: iscusință — quality or state of being able
- Romanian: abilitate — quality or state of being able
- Russian: возмо́жность (vozmóžnostʹ) — quality or state of being able
- Russian: спосо́бность (sposóbnostʹ) — quality or state of being able
- Scots: abeelity — quality or state of being able
- Scottish Gaelic: dìorachd — quality or state of being able
- Scottish Gaelic: murrachas — quality or state of being able
- Scottish Gaelic: murraiche — quality or state of being able
- Scottish Gaelic: abaltachd — quality or state of being able
- Scottish Gaelic: foladh — quality or state of being able
- Scottish Gaelic: acmhaing — quality or state of being able
- Serbo-Croatian: спосо́бно̄ст — quality or state of being able
- Serbo-Croatian: sposóbnōst — quality or state of being able
- Slovene: zmožnost — quality or state of being able
- Spanish: habilidad — quality or state of being able
- Spanish: capacidad — quality or state of being able
- Swahili: uwezo — quality or state of being able
- Swedish: förmåga — quality or state of being able
- Tagalog: kakayahan — quality or state of being able
- Tamil: திறமை (tiṟamai) — quality or state of being able
- Tamil: திறன் (tiṟaṉ) — quality or state of being able
- Telugu: దక్షత (dakṣata) — quality or state of being able
- Telugu: సత్తా (sattā) — quality or state of being able
- Thai: ความสามารถ (kwaam-sǎa-mâat) — quality or state of being able
- Tibetan: ནུས་པ (nus pa) — quality or state of being able
- Urdu: یوگیتا (yogyatā) — quality or state of being able
- Urdu: یوگیتو (yogyatva) — quality or state of being able
- Vietnamese: năng lực — quality or state of being able
- Volapük: fäg — quality or state of being able
- Welsh: gallu — quality or state of being able
- Afrikaans: bekwaamheid — a skill or competence
- Afrikaans: vermoë — a skill or competence
- Arabic: مَوْهِبَة (mawhiba) — a skill or competence
- Armenian: ընդունակություն (əndunakutʻyun) — a skill or competence
- Azerbaijani: bacarıq — a skill or competence
- Azerbaijani: qabiliyyət — a skill or competence
- Belarusian: здо́льнасць (zdólʹnascʹ) — a skill or competence
- Bulgarian: спосо́бност (sposóbnost) — a skill or competence
- Bulgarian: уме́ние (uménie) — a skill or competence
- Bulgarian: да́рба (dárba) — a skill or competence
- Crimean Tatar: qabiliyet — a skill or competence
- Dutch: bekwaamheid — a skill or competence
- Esperanto: kapablo — a skill or competence
- Finnish: taito — a skill or competence
- Finnish: kyky — a skill or competence
- Galician: habilidade — a skill or competence
- German: Fähigkeit — a skill or competence
- Greek: ικανότητα (ikanótita) — a skill or competence
- Haitian Creole: abilite — a skill or competence
- Hindi: सामर्थ्य (sāmarthya) — a skill or competence
- Hindi: योग्यता (yogyatā) — a skill or competence
- Italian: capacità — a skill or competence
- Japanese: 能力 (nōryoku) — a skill or competence
- Japanese: 才能 (sainō) — a skill or competence
- Lakota: uŋspé — a skill or competence
- Latin: facultās — a skill or competence
- Māori: kaha — a skill or competence
- Māori: āheitanga — a skill or competence
- Māori: āheinga — a skill or competence
- Mongolian: чадвар (čadvar) — a skill or competence
- Portuguese: habilidade — a skill or competence
- Romanian: abilitate — a skill or competence
- Romanian: iscusință — a skill or competence
- Romanian: îndemânare — a skill or competence
- Romanian: dibăcie — a skill or competence
- Russian: спосо́бность (sposóbnostʹ) — a skill or competence
- Russian: уме́ние (uménije) — a skill or competence
- Serbo-Croatian: vještina — a skill or competence
- Serbo-Croatian: вјештина — a skill or competence
- Spanish: habilidad — a skill or competence
- Swedish: förmåga — a skill or competence
- Swedish: färdighet — a skill or competence
- Tagalog: abilidad — a skill or competence
- Tamil: திறன் (tiṟaṉ) — a skill or competence
- Tamil: தகுதி (takuti) — a skill or competence
- Thai: ความสามารถ (kwaam-sǎa-mâat) — a skill or competence
- Turkish: yetenek — a skill or competence
- Ottoman Turkish: صنعت (sanʼat, zanʼat) — a skill or competence
- Ottoman Turkish: هنر (hüner) — a skill or competence
- Volapük: skil — a skill or competence
- Woiwurrung: balet'tak — a skill or competence
- Afrikaans: talente — a high level of capability or skill
- Afrikaans: knapheid — a high level of capability or skill
- Dutch: talent — a high level of capability or skill
- Dutch: begaafdheid — a high level of capability or skill
- Finnish: kyky — a high level of capability or skill
- Galician: habilidade — a high level of capability or skill
- Galician: pericia — a high level of capability or skill
- Galician: mestría — a high level of capability or skill
- Greek: επιδεξιότητα (epidexiótita) — a high level of capability or skill
- Greek: ταλέντο (talénto) — a high level of capability or skill
- Greek: ευφυία (effyía) — a high level of capability or skill
- Hindi: कौशल (kauśal) — a high level of capability or skill
- Hindi: कुशल (kuśal) — a high level of capability or skill
- Italian: abilità — a high level of capability or skill
- Portuguese: destreza — a high level of capability or skill
- Portuguese: perícia — a high level of capability or skill
- Portuguese: habilidade — a high level of capability or skill
- Portuguese: mestria — a high level of capability or skill
- Romagnol: abilitê — a high level of capability or skill
- Romanian: abilitate — a high level of capability or skill
- Tagalog: abilidad — a high level of capability or skill
- Tamil: திறமை (tiṟamai) — a high level of capability or skill
- Dutch: geschiktheid — suitability or receptiveness to be acted on
- Finnish: soveltuvuus — suitability or receptiveness to be acted on
Real reading context