competence

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   The quality or state of being competent, i.e. able or suitable for a general role.

   Teachers are now required to teach intercultural communicative competence.

2. 2
   noun

   A sustainable income.

   Reason's whole pleasure, all the joys of sense, / Lie in three words — health, peace, and competence.

3. 3
   noun

   the legal authority to deal with a matter.

   The bill was denied royal assent because the Scottish Parliament does not have legislative competence on the bill's matter.

4. 4
   noun

   the quality of being adequately or well qualified physically and intellectually

5. 5
   noun

   The quality or state of being able or suitable for a particular task; the quality or state of being competent for a particular task or skill.

6. 6
   noun

   The system of linguistic knowledge possessed by native speakers of a language, as opposed to its actual use in concrete situations (performance), cf. linguistic competence.

7. 7
   noun

   The degree to which a rock is resistant to deformation or flow.

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French compétence, from Late Latin competentia. Doublet of competency.