Search Results

Entry Found...

One entry found.

ca·pac·i·ty

Pronounced:

/kəˈpæsəti/Listen to audio

Function:

noun

Inflected forms:

plural ca·pac·i·ties

Meaning:

1 a [count] : the ability to hold or contain people or things —usually singular The restaurant has a large seating capacity. [=many people can sit in the restaurant; it has many seats] What is the hard drive's storage capacity? b : the largest amount or number that can be held or contained [count] The nightclub has a 1,000-person capacity. a bottle with a capacity of two liters [noncount] The prison has reached capacity. [=the prison is full] The auditorium was filled to capacity. [=was completely full]
2 : the ability to do something : a mental, emotional, or physical ability [noncount] Some species of birds do not have the capacity [=ability] to fly. Does he have the capacity to handle this job? The disease causes a deterioration of breathing capacity. [count] the machine's computational capacities [=capabilities]usually singular a character with a great capacity for love [=a character who is able to love people very deeply]
3 [count] : a usually official position or job : role He was acting in his capacity as judge. She's worked for the company in various capacities over the years. [=she has had various jobs at the company] serving in a supervisory capacity
4 [noncount] : the amount of something that can be produced or managed by a factory, company, etc. a plan to double the factory's capacity We can't hire more people because we lack the training capacity. the nation's oil refining capacity ; also : the largest amount that a factory, company, etc., can produce or manage The factory is currently running at three-quarter capacity. [=the factory is producing three quarters of what it can produce] The airport is not expected to reach capacity [=the highest number of planes it can deal with] for several years.
Share this entry:    Share this word with digg Share this word with reddit Share this word with technorati Share this word with del.icio.us Share this word with furl Share this word with stumbleupon Share this word with google Share this word with blinklist Share this word with newsvine Share this word with facebook Share this word with myspace

Link to this page:   
Learn about the book...

Merriam-Webster's

Advanced Learner's Dictionary

It's here! The first learner's dictionary from America's language experts is the perfect resource for teachers and students of English as a second language, with over 100,000 words and phrases, loads of drawings and illustrations, and the most example sentences of any learner's dictionary. It also includes a free eBook download. Learn more here.

Browse the Learner's Dictionary

  1. A
  2. B
  3. C
  4. D
  5. E
  6. F
  7. G
  8. H
  9. I
  10. J
  11. K
  12. L
  13. M
  14. N
  15. O
  16. P
  17. Q
  18. R
  19. S
  20. T
  21. U
  22. V
  23. W
  24. X
  25. Y
  26. Z