What does faculty mean?
A faculty is an innate power of mind or body — the capacity to think, remember, perceive, or speak. In this oldest sense the word appears in phrases such as 'the faculty of speech' or 'in full possession of his faculties', and it carries a somewhat formal, even philosophical tone, echoing its long history in discussions of human cognition. Since the nineteenth century, particularly in North America, faculty has also come to denote the teaching staff of a university taken collectively, as in 'the faculty voted to change the curriculum'. In British English it more commonly names a major division or department of a university, such as the Faculty of Medicine. Derived from Latin facultas, meaning ease or opportunity, from facere, 'to do or make', the word shares ancestry with facility and facile. Its dual life — describing both inner powers of the mind and the people who teach — makes it a versatile word spanning philosophy and campus administration alike.
An inherent mental or physical capability or power, such as memory, reason, or sight.
"The disease gradually robbed her of her higher cognitive faculties."
Usually formal; very often plural when referring to mental powers.
(North American) The teaching and administrative academic staff of a university or college, considered collectively.
"The faculty expressed concern about the proposed budget cuts."
(British) A broad division or department of a university grouping related subjects, such as the Faculty of Law.
"He was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Science."
The plural is standard when referring to several distinct mental or physical abilities ('her mental faculties'); when denoting a teaching staff, the word functions as a collective noun and typically takes a singular verb in American English.
"Despite his advanced age, he remained in full command of his faculties."
The same Latin root that gives us 'faculty' also gave us 'factory' — both come from facere, 'to make or do', because your faculties are literally the powers that let you do things.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of faculty
Faculty derives from the Latin noun facultas, meaning ease, ability, or opportunity, which itself comes from facilis, 'easy to do', built on the verb facere, 'to make or do'. It entered English via Old French in the late Middle Ages, initially carrying senses of ability, aptitude, and even official authorization to act. Over time the word narrowed toward its core modern meanings: an inherent mental or physical power, and, more recently, the academic staff or a university department. Its cognates include facility, facile, facilitate, and factor, all descendants of the same prolific Latin root facere.
Related word forms
How faculty is actually used
In British English, 'faculty' most often refers to a university department or division; in American English it overwhelmingly means the teaching staff as a collective noun. When referring to mental powers it is usually used in formal contexts, frequently in the plural ('his faculties'). As a staff term, it takes singular verbs in American English.
Easily confused with faculty
A facility is an ease of skill or a physical building/equipment provided for a purpose, while a faculty is an innate mental or bodily power — one may have a facility with words but a faculty of reason.