abilities

noun

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

(countable) A skill or competence in doing; mental power; talent; aptitude.

(uncountable) A unique power of the mind; a faculty.

The legal wherewithal to act.

(now limited to Scotland dialects) Physical power.

(archaic) Financial ability.

(obsolete) Suitableness.

Roots

habilisabil- · Latin · able

Synonyms & related words for abilities

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of abilities. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to abilities

Explore words related to abilities — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include skills, talents, capabilities, prowess, aptitude, competence, proficiency, skillfulness. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Where does abilities come from?

The word abilities breaks down into one root of Latin origin: the root abil-, from Latin habilis (“able”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.