competent
/ˈkɒmpətənt/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.92 in modern English
15
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
Having sufficient skill, knowledge, ability, or qualifications.
adj
Having jurisdiction or authority over a particular issue or question.
adj
Resistant to deformation or flow.
Example Sentences
- "He is a competent skier and an expert snowboarder."
- "I believe in that myself because it has been explained by competent men as the convolutions of the grey matter."
- "That as a competent keyless citizen he had proceeded energetically from the unknown to the known through the incertitude of the void."
- "The purpose of sharing these accounts – particularly during Women’s History Month – is to show that women, like men, can grow from bumbling neophytes to competent leaders."
- "For any disagreements arising from this contract, the competent court shall be the Springfield Circuit Court."
- "judicial authority having competent jurisdiction"
Etymology
From Middle English competent, conpetent, from Old French competent (modern French compétent), from Latin competens, competentem, present participle of competō (“coincide, be equal to, be capable of”). Compare Dutch competent (“competent”), German kompetent (“competent”), Danish kompetent (“competent”).
Origin
Word Breakdown
Inflected Forms
more competent (comparative)
most competent (superlative)