Incapacity: meaning, definitions and examples

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incapacity

 

[ ˌɪnkəˈpæsɪti ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

legal term

The state of being unable to do something or to manage one's own affairs.

Synonyms

disability, inability, incompetence

Examples of usage

  • He was declared bankrupt due to his incapacity to manage his finances.
  • The court appointed a legal guardian for the elderly man who was in a state of mental incapacity.
Context #2 | Noun

medical term

A physical or mental condition that limits a person's ability to function.

Synonyms

disability, handicap, impairment

Examples of usage

  • The accident left him with a permanent incapacity to walk.
  • She was granted disability benefits due to her incapacity to work.

Translations

Translations of the word "incapacity" in other languages:

🇵🇹 incapacidade

🇮🇳 अक्षमता

🇩🇪 Unfähigkeit

🇮🇩 ketidakmampuan

🇺🇦 нездатність

🇵🇱 niezdolność

🇯🇵 無能

🇫🇷 incapacité

🇪🇸 incapacidad

🇹🇷 yetersizlik

🇰🇷 무능력

🇸🇦 عجز

🇨🇿 neschopnost

🇸🇰 neschopnosť

🇨🇳 无能力

🇸🇮 nesposobnost

🇮🇸 vanhæfni

🇰🇿 қабілетсіздік

🇬🇪 უუნარობა

🇦🇿 qabiliyyətsizlik

🇲🇽 incapacidad

Etymology

The word 'incapacity' originated from the Latin word 'incapacitas', which is a combination of 'in-' (not) and 'capax' (able). It first appeared in the English language in the early 16th century. The term has been used in legal contexts to refer to the inability to perform certain actions or make decisions. In medical contexts, it is used to describe a limitation in physical or mental functioning.

See also: undercapacity.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranked #11,067, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.