What does capable mean?
"Capable" is an adjective describing someone or something that has the ability, skill, or qualities needed to accomplish a task effectively. A capable person is competent and reliable — one you would trust with responsibility. The word most often appears in two patterns: directly before a noun, as in "a capable administrator," or followed by "of," as in "capable of great things" or "capable of running the project alone." In this second pattern it can also describe likelihood, as when we say someone is "capable of surprising us." Less commonly, "capable" describes things that permit action, as in "capable of improvement." Derived forms include the adverb "capably" and the noun "capability," which is especially common in technical and military contexts. Traced back through French to the Latin capere, meaning "to take or hold," the word shares deep roots with "capture" and "capacity." Its consistently positive tone makes it a staple of recommendations, job references, and everyday praise alike.
Having the skill, ability, or qualities necessary to do something effectively; competent.
"She proved a capable negotiator during the difficult talks."
Frequently used with 'of' plus a gerund or noun to specify what can be done.
Open to being changed, improved, or acted upon in a stated way.
"The manuscript is capable of further refinement before submission."
A more formal sense, common in academic and professional writing.
The word "capable" comes from the Latin capere — "to take or seize" — the same root that gives us "capture," so calling someone capable literally traces back to an ancient idea of grasping and taking hold.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of capable
"Capable" entered English in the late sixteenth century, borrowed from French capable, which derived from Late Latin capabilis, formed on the Latin verb capere, meaning "to take, seize, or hold." This same Latin root produced a wide family of English words, including "capture," "capacity," "capacious," and "receive" (via Latin recipere). Over time, the sense shifted from the general idea of "able to contain or receive" toward the modern meaning of possessing ability or competence.
Related word forms
How capable is actually used
"Capable" typically appears either before a noun ("a capable surgeon") or in the pattern "capable of + gerund/noun." It carries a positive connotation of reliability and competence. The sense meaning "open to change or improvement" ("capable of repair") is somewhat formal.
Easily confused with capable
"Capable" refers to ability or competence in performing actions, while "capacious" means having a lot of space or capacity for holding things.