ability

nouncommon in dialogue

//əˈbɪl.ə.ti//
//əˈbɪl.ɪ.ti//

The quality or state of being able; capacity to do or of doing something; having the necessary power.

noun

1
obsoleteSuitableness.
2
The quality or state of being able; capacity to do or of doing something; having the necessary power.
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.
Imagine a country where children do nothing but play until they start compulsory schooling at age seven. Then, without exception, they attend comprehensives until the age of 16. Charging school fees is illegal, and so is sorting pupils into ability groups by streaming or setting.
3
The legal wherewithal to act.
The ability to shift profits to low-tax countries by locating intellectual property in them, which is then licensed to related businesses in high-tax countries, is often assumed to be the preserve of high-tech companies.
4
Physical power.
5
archaicFinancial ability.
6
A unique power of the mind; a faculty.
7
A skill or competence in doing; mental power; talent; aptitude.
a mixed-ability class
They are persons of ability, who will go far in life.
She has an uncanny ability to defuse conflict.
Then the disciples, euery man according to his abilitie, determined to send reliefe vnto the brethren which dwelt in Iudea.

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.

Forms

plural: abilities

abide · To endure without yielding; to withstand.abigail · A lady's maid.Abigail · The wife of Nabal and later of David in the Old Testament.

ability · The quality or state of being able; capacity to do or of doing something; having the necessary power.

able · Having the necessary powers or the needed resources to…Able · radiotelephony clear-code word for the letter A.Abner · A cousin of Saul mentioned in the Old Testament.

The neighbouring pages — Alphabetical order follows the rules of the language, not byte values: an accent decides only between two otherwise identical words, and Spanish files Ñ as a letter of its own.