Definition of Capacity

Ca`pac´i`ty   Pronunciation: kå`păs´ĭ`tŷ
n.1.The power of receiving or containing; extent of room or space; passive power; - used in reference to physical things.
Had our great palace the capacity
To camp this host, we all would sup together.
- Shak.
The capacity of the exhausted cylinder.
- Boyle.
2.The power of receiving and holding ideas, knowledge, etc.; the comprehensiveness of the mind; the receptive faculty; capability of understanding or feeling.
Capacity is now properly limited to these [the mere passive operations of the mind]; its primary signification, which is literally room for, as well as its employment, favors this; although it can not be denied that there are examples of its usage in an active sense.
- Sir W. Hamilton.
3.Ability; power pertaining to, or resulting from, the possession of strength, wealth, or talent; possibility of being or of doing.
The capacity of blessing the people.
- Alex. Hamilton.
A cause with such capacities endued.
- Blackmore.
4.Outward condition or circumstances; occupation; profession; character; position; as, to work in the capacity of a mason or a carpenter.
5.(Law) Legal or moral qualification, as of age, residence, character, etc., necessary for certain purposes, as for holding office, for marrying, for making contracts, wills, etc.; legal power or right; competency.
Capacity for heat
the power of absorbing heat. Substances differ in the amount of heat requisite to raise them a given number of thermometric degrees, and this difference is the measure of, or depends upon, what is called their capacity for heat. See Specific heat, under Heat.

Related Words

IQ, SRO, ableness, accommodation, acumen, address, adeptness, adequacy, adroitness, airmanship, amplitude, apprehension, aptitude, artfulness, artisanship, artistry, bellyful, bent, brains, bravura, brilliance, brimful, brimming, bulging, bump, bumper, burden, bursting, caliber, capableness, capaciousness, capacitance, capital, character, charge, chock-full, chuck-full, cleverness, collector junction capacitance, command, commodiousness, competence, competency, complement, comprehension, conception, condition, congested, consciousness, control, coordination, cordage, craft, craftsmanship, cram, cram-full, crammed, crush, cunning, deductive power, deftness, devices, dexterity, dexterousness, dextrousness, dimensions, diplomacy, disposable resources, dower, dowry, duty, efficacy, efficiency, emitter junction capacitance, endowment, equipment, esemplastic power, expansiveness, expertise, extensiveness, facility, faculties, faculty, farad, farci, fill, filled, finesse, fitness, flair, flush, footing, forte, full, full house, full measure, full to bursting, function, funds, genius, gift, grace, grip, handiness, horsemanship, ideation, ingeniousness, ingenuity, instinct, integrative power, intellect, intellectual gifts, intellectual grasp, intellectual power, intellectualism, intellectuality, intellectuals, intelligence, intelligence quotient, jam up, jam-packed, job, judgement, knack, know-how, knowledge, lading, limit, load, long suit, makings, marksmanship, mastership, mastery, means, measure, mental age, mental capacity, mental grasp, mental ratio, mentality, method, metier, might, mother wit, mouthful, native wit, natural endowment, natural gift, office, overfull, overstuffed, packed, packed like sardines, part, parts, perception, perceptiveness, perspicacity, place, plenary, position, post, potential, poundage, power of mind, powers, practical ability, proficiency, province, prowess, qualification, quality, quantity, quickness, rank, rationality, readiness, ready to burst, reasoning power, recourses, relation, replete, resistance capacitance, resorts, resource, resourcefulness, resources, responsibility, role, room, roominess, round, sanity, satiated, saturated, savoir-faire, savvy, scope of mind, seamanship, sense, senses, situation, size, skillfulness, skinful, snootful, soaked, space, spaciousness, speciality, sphere, standing, standing room only, state, station, status, stock, stowage, strong flair, strong point, stuffed, style, sufficiency, supply, surfeited, susceptibility, swollen, tact, tactfulness, talents, technical brilliance, technical mastery, technical skill, technique, the goods, the stuff, thinking power, timing, tonnage, topful, twin, understanding, virtuosity, ways, ways and means, what it takes, wherewith, wherewithal, wit, wits, wizardry, workmanship


Cap in hand
Cap money
Cap of a cannon
Cap of liberty
Cap of maintenance
Cap paper
Cap rock
Capacity for heat
Cape buffalo
Cape elk
Cape jasmine
Cape pigeon
Cape wine

© 2014 Delaflex, Inc.Dictionary Home