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Competence vs Experience - What's the difference?

competence | experience |

In uncountable terms the difference between competence and experience

is that competence is the quality or state of being competent, i.e. able or suitable for a general role while experience is the knowledge thus gathered.

In countable terms the difference between competence and experience

is that competence is in law, the legal authority to deal with a matter while experience is a collection of events and/or activities from which an individual or group may gather knowledge, opinions, and skills.

As a verb experience is

to observe certain events; undergo a certain feeling or process; or perform certain actions that may alter one or contribute to one's knowledge, opinions, or skills.

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

    References

    *

    experience

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Event(s) of which one is cognizant.
  • (label) An activity which one has performed.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1913, author=
  • , title=Lord Stranleigh Abroad , chapter=4 citation , passage=“I have tried, as I hinted, to enlist the co-operation of other capitalists, but experience has taught me that any appeal is futile that does not impinge directly upon cupidity. …”}}
  • (label) A collection of events and/or activities from which an individual or group may gather knowledge, opinions, and skills.
  • (label) The knowledge thus gathered.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-07, author= Ed Pilkington
  • , volume=188, issue=26, page=6, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= ‘Killer robots’ should be banned in advance, UN told , passage=In his submission to the UN, [Christof] Heyns points to the experience of drones. Unmanned aerial vehicles were intended initially only for surveillance, and their use for offensive purposes was prohibited, yet once strategists realised their perceived advantages as a means of carrying out targeted killings, all objections were swept out of the way.}}

    Usage notes

    * Adjectives often applied to "experience": broad, wide, good, bad, great, amazing, horrible, terrible, pleasant, unpleasant, educational, financial, military, commercial, academic, political, industrial, sexual, romantic, religious, mystical, spiritual, psychedelic, scientific, human, magical, intense, deep, humbling, unforgettable, unique, exciting, exhilarating.

    Antonyms

    * inexperience

    Derived terms

    * experiential * experience points * experienced

    Verb

    (experienc)
  • To observe certain events; undergo a certain feeling or process; or perform certain actions that may alter one or contribute to one's knowledge, opinions, or skills.
  • Derived terms

    * experienceable