Capacity
/kəˈpæsɪti/
Definitions
2 meaningsThe amount a container can hold; the ability to do something.
/kəˈpæsɪti/
The maximum amount that something can contain.
The stadium has a seating capacity of 50,000.
💡 Simply: How much something can hold or do.
More Examples
She has the capacity to learn quickly.
How It's Used
"The tank has a capacity of 100 liters."
"The bridge's load-bearing capacity is critical."
The power or ability to learn or achieve something.
/kəˈpæsɪti/
Mental or intellectual ability.
The child showed amazing capacity for language acquisition.
💡 Simply: The ability to do or learn something.
More Examples
The company has a large production capacity.
How It's Used
"He demonstrated remarkable capacity for critical thinking."
From Latin *capacitas, from capax "capable, spacious"
Historically, the word 'capacity' has been used in legal contexts to refer to legal competency.
Memory tip
Think of 'capable' - capacity is about what someone or something is capable of holding or doing.