Main Entry: com·pe·tent

Pronunciation: \ˈkäm-pə-tənt\

Function: adjective

Etymology: Middle English, suitable, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, from Latin competent-, competens, from present participle of competere

Date: 15th century

1 : proper or rightly pertinent
2 : having requisite or adequate ability or qualities : fit <a competent teacher> <a competent piece of work>
3 : legally qualified or adequate <a competent witness>
4 : having the capacity to function or develop in a particular way; specifically : having the capacity to respond (as by producing an antibody) to an antigenic determinant <immunologically competent cells>

synonyms see sufficient

— com·pe·tent·ly adverb