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Competence vs Agency - What's the difference?

competence | agency |

As nouns the difference between competence and agency

is that competence is skill while agency is the capacity, condition, or state of acting or of exerting power; action or activity; operation.

competence

English

Noun

  • (uncountable) The quality or state of being competent, i.e. able or suitable for a general role.
  • * 2005 , Lies Sercu and Ewa Bandura, Foreign Language Teachers and Intercultural Competence: An International Investigation :
    • Teachers are now required to teach intercultural communicative competence .
  • (countable) The quality or state of being able or suitable for a particular task; the quality or state of being competent for a particular task.
  • * 1961 , National Council for Elementary Science (U.S.), Science Education :
    • What professional competences do science teachers need?
  • A sustainable income.
  • * Alexander Pope
    • Reason's whole pleasure, all the joys of sense, / Lie in three words — health, peace, and competence .
  • * 1811 , Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility , chapter 17
    • “money can only give happiness where there is nothing else to give it. Beyond a competence , it can afford no real satisfaction, as far as mere self is concerned.”
  • (countable) In law, the legal authority to deal with a matter.
    • That question is out with the competence of this court and must be taken to a higher court.

    Synonyms

    * ability * competency * nous * savoir-faire * knack (colloq.) * aptitude * See also

    Antonyms

    * inability * ineptitude * incompetence

    Related terms

    * compete * competition * competentness

    References

    *

    agency

    English

    (Webster 1913)

    Noun

    (agencies)
  • The capacity, condition, or state of acting or of exerting power; action or activity; operation.
    • The superintendence and agency of Providence in the natural world. --Woodward.
  • A person or thing through which power is exerted or an end is achieved: instrumentality, means.
  • The office or function of an agent; also, the relationship between a principal and that person's agent.
  • An establishment engaged in doing business for another; also, the place of business or the district of such an agency.
  • A department or other administrative unit of a government; also, the office or headquarters of, or the district administered by such unit of government.
    • Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
    Central Intelligence Agency

    Synonyms

    * action * operation * efficiency * instrumentality * management

    Derived terms

    {{der3, dating agency , employment agency , escort agency , introduction agency , news agency , press agency , relief agency , syndication agency , travel agency}}

    Related terms

    * act * action * agent

    External links

    *