ability

1 of 2

noun

abil·​i·​ty ə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

plural abilities

1

a

: the quality or state of being able

the ability of the soil to hold water

especially : physical, mental, or legal power to do something

a writer's ability to engage the reader's interest

did the work to the best of her ability [=as well as she could]

b

: competence in doing something : skill

artistic abilities

2

: natural aptitude or acquired proficiency

students with different abilities

-ability

2 of 2

noun suffix

variants or less commonly -ibility

: capacity, fitness, or tendency to act or be acted on in a (specified) way

agglutinability

Synonyms

Noun

• capability
• capableness
• capacity
• competence
• competency
• faculty

Examples of ability in a Sentence

Noun

a young woman with many remarkable musical abilities

a young woman of great musical ability

She has shown some ability with foreign languages.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Our testers appreciated its ability to swiftly snatch up messes from all floor types, along with its extra large dustbin that allows for longer cleaning sessions. —Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 16 July 2024

The career site’s latest analysis shows job seekers’ outlook on the availability of roles, and their ability to get them, reached its lowest level in the second quarter of 2024 since the report began collecting data in January 2022. —Jennifer Liu, CNBC, 16 July 2024

Brown’s seeming judgement of Bronny James’ skills is the latest to garner headlines, but far from the first, as both supporters and detractors of his professional journey have been vocal in sharing their opinions regarding the 19-year-old’s ability to succeed in the NBA. —Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 16 July 2024

Violent storms like Sandy make clear that America’s national security is only as strong as our ability to accurately predict the weather, especially as natural disasters and extreme weather rise in our warming climate. —Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 16 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English ablete, abilite, habilite "suitability, proficiency, ability," borrowed from Anglo-French abilité, borrowed from Latin habilitāt-, habilitās "aptitude," from habilis "easy to handle, adaptable, fit" + -tāt-, -tās -ty — more at able

Noun suffix

Middle English -ablete, -abilite, -iblete, -ibilite, borrowed from Anglo-French -ableté, -abilité, -ibleté, -ibilité, borrowed from Latin -abilitās, -ibilitās, from -abilis, -ibilis -able + -tās -ty

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing ability

• to the best of her ability

Kids Definition

ability

1 of 2 noun

abil·​i·​ty ə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

plural abilities

1

a

: the quality or state of being able : power to do something

b

: competence in doing : skill

2

: natural or learned skill

-ability

2 of 2 noun suffix

-abil·​i·​ty

variants also -ibility

ə-ˈbil-ət-ē

plural -ties

: ability, fitness, or likeliness to act or be acted on in (such) a way

readability

Etymology

Noun suffix

derived from Latin -abilitas, -ibilitas "-ability"