competence

B2 Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˈkɑm.pə.təns/ UK /ˈkɒm.pə.təns/ See IPA manual

Freq #26232

Meanings

1

noun
The ability to do something well, with the necessary skill or knowledge.

No one doubts her competence as a surgeon.
2

noun
The legal power or authority to deal with a particular matter.

The case falls outside the competence of this court.
3

noun
In linguistics, a native speaker's underlying knowledge of their language, as opposed to its actual use.

Chomsky drew a clear line between competence and everyday performance.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the ability to do something... competency

More ability aptitude knack noussavoir-faire

Opposites

inability incompetence ineptitude

Word family

Forms competences

Derived forms competence-competencedyscompetencehypercompetenceimmunocompetencemulticompetenceneurocompetencenoncompetenceomnicompetenceosmocompetenceovercompetenceretrocompetencerhizocompetence

Related forms compete competentness competition

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

linguistic competence
a speaker's internal knowledge of how their language works

Adjective + noun

Etymology

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

compétence Middle French competentia la-lat

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas

External links

# competence

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈkɑm.pə.təns/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈkɒm.pə.təns/
**Frequency rank:** 26232

## Meanings
1. The ability to do something well, with the necessary skill or knowledge.
2. The legal power or authority to deal with a particular matter.
3. In linguistics, a native speaker's underlying knowledge of their language, as opposed to its actual use.

## Examples
- No one doubts her competence as a surgeon.
- The case falls outside the competence of this court.
- Chomsky drew a clear line between competence and everyday performance.

## Synonyms
- ability
- aptitude
- competency
- knack
- nous
- savoir-faire

## Antonyms
- inability
- incompetence
- ineptitude

## Derived Forms
- competence-competence
- dyscompetence
- hypercompetence
- immunocompetence
- multicompetence
- neurocompetence
- noncompetence
- omnicompetence
- osmocompetence
- overcompetence
- retrocompetence
- rhizocompetence

## Related Forms
- compete
- competentness
- competition

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: compétence
- Root: competentia

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

## AI Etymology
competence is a noun. It was borrowed from Middle French compétence, from Late Latin competentia. Doublet of competency. Historical forms in the chain include compétence (Middle French) and competentia (Late Latin). Current senses include the ability to do something well, with the necessary skill or knowledge, the legal power or authority to deal with a particular matter, and in linguistics, a native speaker's underlying knowledge of their language, as opposed to its actual use. Derived forms include competence-competence, dyscompetence, hypercompetence, immunocompetence, and multicompetence. Related words include compete, competentness, and competition.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas

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