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

c

: a person's status with regard to having a disability

—used especially in legal and official statements

These guidelines not only help make web content accessible to users with sensory, cognitive and mobility disabilities, but ultimately to all users, regardless of ability.

—whitehouse.gov

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

Although there is a higher barrier to entry, once a corporation can achieve vertical integration, margins can become leaner, shipping times shorter and the ability to produce new inventory more often becomes more feasible. —Yola Robert, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025

Netflix recently gave advertisers the ability to target more than 100 interests in over 17 categories, including life stages, and to incorporate first-party data into their process. —Brian Steinberg, Variety, 16 June 2025

Though being able to identify and pursue targets can make even a rudimentary swarm more dangerous, the ability to soak up the defender’s data, share that information with other drones and adjust based on what’s happening on the battlefield is far more lethal. —Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 16 June 2025

Messi tried to stay in the vicinity of Busquets at times to take advantage of his former Barcelona team-mate’s technical ability in small spaces and familiar thought process. —Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 16 June 2025

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

Rhymes for ability

• ability
• agility
• civility
• debility
• docility
• ductility
• facility
• acceptability
• accessibility
• adaptability
• admissibility
• advisability

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"