English Meaning & Definitions
The inability to do something, or a lack of physical or mental power to perform a specific function or task.
- “The accident resulted in a temporary incapacity that prevented him from returning to work for several months.”
- “The legal document outlines the procedures to be followed in the event of the director's mental incapacity.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “incapacity”.
Derived from the Middle French 'incapacité', which stems from the Latin 'incapacitas', formed by the prefix 'in-' (not) and 'capax' (capable/able to hold), from the verb 'capere' (to take or hold). It originally referred to a lack of physical or mental space to contain something, later evolving to denote a lack of power or qualification.
Think of 'in-' (not) + 'capacity' (the ability to hold or contain). If you have no capacity to do a task, you are in a state of incapacity.
Frequently Asked Questions About “incapacity”
1. What is the meaning of “incapacity” in English?
In English, incapacity (noun) is defined as: “The inability to do something, or a lack of physical or mental power to perform a specific function or task.”.
2. How do you use “incapacity” in a sentence?
“The accident resulted in a temporary incapacity that prevented him from returning to work for several months.”
3. What are English synonyms of “incapacity”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “incapacity”?
Derived from the Middle French 'incapacité', which stems from the Latin 'incapacitas', formed by the prefix 'in-' (not) and 'capax' (capable/able to hold), from the verb 'capere' (to take or hold). It originally referred to a lack of physical or mental space to contain something, later evolving to denote a lack of power or qualification.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →A measurement of time indicating an instantaneous occurrence or a state where no time has elapsed.
The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.