Competence vs Competent - What's the difference?
competence | competent |
(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 :
(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 :
A sustainable income.
* Alexander Pope
* 1811 , Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility , chapter 17
(countable) In law, the legal authority to deal with a matter.
Having sufficient skill, knowledge, ability, or qualifications.
(legal) Having jurisdiction or authority over a particular issue or question.
Adequate for the purpose
* 1662 , , Book II, A Collection of Several Philosophical Writings of Dr. Henry More, p. 67:
Competent is a related term of competence.
As a noun competence
is the quality or state of being competent, i.e. able or suitable for a general role.As an adjective competent is
having sufficient skill, knowledge, ability, or qualifications.competence
English
Noun
- Teachers are now required to teach intercultural communicative competence .
- What professional competences do science teachers need?
- Reason's whole pleasure, all the joys of sense, / Lie in three words — health, peace, and competence .
- “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.”
- 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 alsoAntonyms
* inability * ineptitude * incompetenceReferences
*competent
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- He is a competent skier and an expert snowboarder.
- For any disagreements arising from this contract, the competent court shall be the Springfield Circuit Court.
- judicial authority having competent jurisdiction
- "For if [birds] had been Viviparous , the burthen of their womb, if they had brought forth any competent number at a time, had been so big and heavy, that their wings would have failed them "