adjective
- having power and ability; efficient; competent: a capable instructor.
- capable of,
- having the ability or capacity for: a man capable of judging art.
- open to the influence or effect of; susceptible of: a situation capable of improvement.
- predisposed to; inclined to: capable of murder.
adjective
- having ability, esp in many different fields; competent
- (postpositive foll by of) able or having the skill (to do something)she is capable of hard work
- (postpositive foll by of) having the temperament or inclination (to do something)he seemed capable of murder
1560s, from Middle French capable or directly from Late Latin capabilis “receptive; able to grasp or hold,” used by theologians, from Latin capax “able to hold much, broad, wide, roomy;” also “receptive, fit for;” adjectival form of capere “to grasp, lay hold, take, catch; undertake; take in, hold; be large enough for; comprehend,” from PIE *kap- “to grasp” (cf. Sanskrit kapati “two handfuls;” Greek kaptein “to swallow, gulp down;” Lettish kampiu “seize;” Old Irish cacht “servant-girl,” literally “captive;” Welsh caeth “captive, slave;” Gothic haban “have, hold;” Old English hæft “handle,” habban “to have, hold,” Modern English have). Related: Capably.