English Dictionary
Definition of “competent”
competent (ˈkɒmpɪtənt
)
Definitions
adjective
- having sufficient skill, knowledge, etc; capable
- suitable or sufficient for the purpose ⇒
a competent answer
- law (of a witness) having legal capacity; qualified to testify, etc
- (postpositive) foll by to belonging as a right; appropriate
Alternative Forms
ˈcompetently adverb ˈcompetentness noun Word Origin
C14: from Latin competēns, from competere to be competent; see compete
Translations
- British English:
competent
Someone who is competent is efficient and effective.He is a very competent worker.ˈkɒmpɪtənt ADJECTIVE He is a very competent worker.
- Spanish:
competente
adj
- French:
compétent
adj
- German:
fähig
adj
- Chinese: 胜任的 adj
- Arabic: مُخْتَصّ adj
- Portuguese: competente adj
- Russian: компетентный adj компетентная
- Croatian: kompetentan adj kompetentna
- Czech: schopný adj
- Danish: kompetent adj
- Dutch: competent adj
- Finnish: pätevä adj
- Greek: ικανός adj ικανή
- Italian: competente adj
- Japanese: 有能な no_posp
- Korean: 유능한 adj
- Norwegian: kompetent adj
- Polish: fachowy adj fachowa
- Brazilian Portuguese: competente adj
- European Spanish:
competente
adj
- Swedish: behörig adj behörigt
- Thai: ที่มีความสามารถ adj
- Turkish: yetkin adj
- Vietnamese: có khả năng adj
Usage examples
Once the man managed to reach Thurzella, however, he proved competent enough.
MacLeod, Charlotte, Something in the Water (1994)His approach is to build cheap, simple robots that are competent at a single task.
New Scientist (1998)Only recently, however, has the electorate's appetite for good public services, along with competent economic management, been recognised.
Irish Times (2002)I do fully agree with the sentiments expressed in the latest column and I admire Melanie's competent command of language.
Glasgow Herald (2001)Let's stop over-estimating our brains, they are not as wonderfully competent as our IQ makes us believe.
Vera Peiffer, POSITIVE THINKING: Everything you have always known about positive thinking but were afraid to put into practice (2001)
