Adjacent Words

Competent definitions

	Tweet

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

COMPETENT, a.
1. Suitable; fit; convenient; hence, sufficient, that is, fit for the purpose; adequate; followed by to; as, competent supplies of food and clothing; a competent force; an army conpetent to the preservation of the kingdom or state; a competent knowledge of the world. This word usually implies a moderate supply, a sufficiency without superfluity.
2. Qualified; fit; having legal capacity or power; as a competent judge or court; a competent witness. In a judge or court, it implies right or authority to hear and determine; in a witness, it implies a legal right or capacity to testify.
3. Incident; belonging; having adequate power or right.
That is the privilege of the infinite author of things, who never slumbers nor sleeps, but is not competent to any finite being.
It is not competent to the defendant to alledge fraud in the plaintiff.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: properly or sufficiently qualified or capable or efficient; "a competent typist" [ant: incompetent]
2: adequate for the purpose; "a competent performance"
3: legally qualified or sufficient; "a competent court"; "competent testimony" [ant: incompetent, unqualified]

Merriam Webster's

adjective Etymology: Middle English, suitable, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, from Latin competent-, competens, from present participle of competere Date: 15th century 1. proper or rightly pertinent 2. having requisite or adequate ability or qualities ; fit <a competent teacher> <a competent piece of work> 3. legally qualified or adequate <a competent witness> 4. having the capacity to function or develop in a particular way; specifically having the capacity to respond (as by producing an antibody) to an antigenic determinant <immunologically competent cells> Synonyms: see sufficient • competently adverb

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. 1 a (usu. foll. by to + infin. or for) or adequately qualified or capable (not competent to drive). b effective (a competent batsman). 2 Law (of a judge, court, or witness) legally qualified or qualifying. Derivatives: competently adv. Etymology: ME f. OF competent or L competent- (as COMPETE)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Competent Com"pe*tent (?; 94), a. [F. comp['e]tent, p. pr. of comp['e]ter to be in the competency of, LL. competere to strive after together, to agree with; hence, to be fit. See Compete.] 1. Answering to all requirements; adequate; sufficient; suitable; capable; legally qualified; fit. ``A competent knowledge of the world.'' --Atterbury. ``Competent age.'' --Grafton. ``Competent statesmen.'' --Palfrey. /``A competent witness.'' --Bouvier. 2. Rightfully or properly belonging; incident; -- followed by to. [Rare, except in legal usage.] That is the privilege of the infinite Author of things, . . . but is not competent to any finite being. --Locke. Syn: See Qualified.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

1. Someone who is competent is efficient and effective. He was a loyal, distinguished and very competent civil servant. ...a competent performance. ADJ • competently The government performed competently in the face of multiple challenges. ADV: ADV with v, ADV adj 2. If you are competent to do something, you have the skills, abilities, or experience necessary to do it well. Most adults do not feel competent to deal with a medical emergency involving a child. = qualified ADJ: oft ADJ to-inf

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

a. 1. Able, capable, qualified, endowed. 2. Adequate, sufficient, adapted, convenient, suitable, fit. 3. Incident, belonging, pertinent, in point.

Moby Thesaurus

OK, able, absolute, acceptable, actionable, adapted, adept, adequate, adjusted, all right, ample, applicable, ascendant, au fait, authoritarian, authoritative, authorized, autocratic, barely sufficient, capable, checked out, clothed with authority, comfortable, commanding, commensurate, consequential, considerable, constitutional, controlling, corresponding, decent, dominant, due, duly constituted, effective, effectual, efficacious, efficient, eminent, empowered, enough, equal to, ex officio, finished, fit, fitted, fitted for, good, good enough, governing, great, hegemonic, hegemonistic, imperative, important, influential, journeyman, judicial, juridical, just, justiciable, kosher, lawful, lawmaking, leading, legal, legislative, legit, legitimate, licit, masterly, mighty, minimal, minimum, momentous, monocratic, official, okay, plenty, plenty good enough, polished, potent, powerful, preeminent, prepared, prestigious, productive, proficient, prominent, proper, proportionate, puissant, qualified, ranking, rightful, ruling, sanctioned, satisfactory, senior, statutory, substantial, sufficient, sufficient for, sufficing, suitable, suited, superior, supreme, totalitarian, up to, up to snuff, valid, weighty, well-fitted, well-qualified, well-suited, wicked, within the law, worthy