ability

a·bil·i·ty  (-bl-t)

n. pl. a·bil·i·ties

1. The quality of being able to do something, especially the physical, mental, financial, or legal power to accomplish something.

2. A natural or acquired skill or talent.

3. The quality of being suitable for or receptive to a specified treatment; capacity: the ability of a computer to be configured for use as a file server. See Usage Note at able.

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[Middle English abilite, from Old French habilite, from Latin habilits, from habilis, handy; see able.]

Synonyms: ability, capacity, faculty, talent, skill, competence, aptitude
These nouns denote qualities that enable a person to achieve or accomplish something. Ability is the mental or physical power to do something: "To make a fortune some assistance from fate is essential. Ability alone is insufficient" Ihara Saikaku.
Capacity refers to the potential for acquiring that power: "The capability [women] have shown in the realm of higher education, their achievements in the business world, their capacity for organization . . . have been a revelation" Susan B. Anthony.
Faculty denotes an inherent ability: My lawyer has a faculty for detecting hypocrisy.
Talent emphasizes inborn ability, especially in the arts: "There is no substitute for talent. Industry and all the virtues are of no avail" Aldous Huxley.
Skill stresses ability acquired or developed through experience: "The intellect, character and skill possessed by any man are the product of certain original tendencies and the training which they have received" Edward L. Thorndike.
Competence suggests the ability to do something satisfactorily but not necessarily outstandingly: The violinist played the concerto with unquestioned competence but limited imagination.
Aptitude implies inherent capacity for learning, understanding, or performing: "She handled her brushes with a certain ease and freedom which came, not from long and close acquaintance with them, but from a natural aptitude" Kate Chopin.

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ability

Noun

pl -ties

1. possession of the necessary skill or power to do something

2. great skill or competence: his ability as a speaker was legendary [Latin habilitas]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	ability - the quality of being able to perform; a quality that permits or facilitates achievement or accomplishment adaptability - the ability to change (or be changed) to fit changed circumstances quality - an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone; "the quality of mercy is not strained"--Shakespeare sensitiveness, sensitivity - the ability to respond to affective changes in your interpersonal environment competence, competency - the quality of being adequately or well qualified physically and intellectually form - an ability to perform well; "he was at the top of his form"; "the team was off form last night" interoperability - (computer science) the ability to exchange and use information (usually in a large heterogeneous network made up of several local area networks) magical ability, magical power - an ability to perform magic Midas touch - an ability to make and manage large amounts of money penetration - the ability to make way into or through something; "the greater penetration of the new projectiles will result in greater injuries" physical ability - the ability to perform some physical act; contrasting with mental ability contractility - the capability or quality of shrinking or contracting, especially by muscle fibers and even some other forms of living matter capability, capableness - the quality of being capable -- physically or intellectually or legally; "he worked to the limits of his capability" totipotence, totipotency - the ability of a cell to give rise to unlike cells and so to develop a new organism or part; "animal cells lose their totipotency at an early stage in embryonic development" immunocompetence - the ability to develop an immune response following exposure to an antigen inability, unfitness - lacking the power to perform
	2.	ability - possession of the qualities (especially mental qualities) required to do something or get something done; "danger heightened his powers of discrimination" power cognition, knowledge, noesis - the psychological result of perception and learning and reasoning know-how - the (technical) knowledge and skill required to do something leadership - the ability to lead; "he believed that leadership can be taught" intelligence - the ability to comprehend; to understand and profit from experience aptitude - inherent ability bilingualism - the ability to speak two languages colloquially mental ability, capacity - the power to learn or retain knowledge; in law, the ability to understand the facts and significance of your behavior creative thinking, creativeness, creativity - the ability to create originality - the ability to think and act independently science, skill - ability to produce solutions in some problem domain; "the skill of a well-trained boxer"; "the sweet science of pugilism" acquirement, skill, accomplishment, attainment, acquisition - an ability that has been acquired by training hand - ability; "he wanted to try his hand at singing" superior skill - more than ordinary ability faculty, mental faculty, module - one of the inherent cognitive or perceptual powers of the mind inability - lack of ability (especially mental ability) to do something

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ability

noun 1. capability, power, potential, facility, capacity, qualification, competence, proficiency, competency, potentiality << OPPOSITE inability

2. skill, talent, know-how (informal) gift, expertise, faculty, flair, competence, energy, accomplishment, knack, aptitude, proficiency, dexterity, cleverness, potentiality, adroitness, adeptness

Translations

ability [əˈbɪlɪtɪ] n → habilidad f; capacidad f (= talent); talento;

to the best of my ability → lo mejor que pueda etc

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ability [əˈbɪlɪtɪ] n → compétence f; capacité f (= skill); talent m;

to the best of my ability → de mon mieux

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ability [əˈbɪlɪtɪ] n → Fähigkeit f;

to the best of my ability → so gut ich es kann

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ability [əˈbɪlɪtɪ] n → abilità f inv;

to the best of my ability → con il massimo impegno