ability

1 of 2

noun

abil·​i·​ty ə-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce ability (audio)
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

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
When any player strays into the rough, fans tend to congregate and get an even closer look at a golfer’s ball-striking abilities. Ben Morse, CNN, 18 Mar. 2024 And stunting means that your ability, your cognitive ability is impacted as well. CBS News, 17 Mar. 2024 Tae has a wide range of musical abilities ranging from a classical concert percussionist to an amazing and well-rounded jazz drummer. Heide Janssen, Orange County Register, 17 Mar. 2024 The New York show, her eighth tour stop, not only showcased Trevi’s enduring talent and charisma but also highlighted her ability to innovate and connect with audiences across multiple generations. Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 16 Mar. 2024 Brandi Chastain, the two-time World Cup winner who is one of the founders of Bay FC, said she has been impressed with King’s ability to stay humble throughout her rise in the soccer world. Jason Mastrodonato, The Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2024 Relief groups’ ability to distribute the goods within the Strip has been restricted by the Israeli military as well as by looting. Frances Vinall, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 Twenty years later, DeepMind’s AlphaGo system defeated the champion Go player Lee Sedol, a victory that likewise depended on the system’s ability to consider vast numbers of possible upcoming moves. Cal Newport, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2024 Gauff has a unique ability to draw energy from a crowd, and they from her. Abby Aguirre, Vogue, 6 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ability.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of ability was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near ability

Cite this Entry

“Ability.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ability. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ability

1 of 2 noun
abil·​i·​ty ə-ˈbil-ət-ē How to pronounce ability (audio)
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"

More from Merriam-Webster on ability

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