ability

/ə-ˈbi-lə-tē/

Middle English ablete, abilite, habilite "suitability, proficiency, ability," borrowed from Anglo-French abilité, borrowed from Latin habilitāt-, habilitās "aptitude," from habilis "easy to handle, adaptable, fit" + -tāt-, -tās -ty

noun

  1. the quality or state of being able; especially : physical, mental, or legal power to do something

  2. competence in doing something : skill

  3. a person's status with regard to having a disability —used especially in legal and official statements

the ability of the soil to hold water

artistic abilities

noun suffix

  1. capacity, fitness, or tendency to act or be acted on in a (specified) way

agglutinability