competence

competence — noun

1. The skill, knowledge, and judgment necessary to perform a job or task effectivel

1.nounC1
Definition

The skill, knowledge, and judgment necessary to perform a job or task effectively.

Example

Leila demonstrated her competence as a project manager by completing three major campaigns on schedule.

collocation: demonstrate + competence

The internship programme is designed to develop students' professional competence in engineering.

collocation: develop + competence in [field]

Common collocations
  • demonstrate competence
  • develop competence
  • prove competence
  • professional competence
  • technical competence
  • linguistic competence
  • managerial competence
  • competence in [field/language]
  • level of competence
Synonyms
  • ability

    broader term for being able to do something; competence implies a required standard of skill for a specific role

  • capability

    focuses on potential or capacity to perform, not necessarily proven skill

  • proficiency

    emphasises a high level of practised skill, especially in languages or technical tasks

  • expertise

    implies deep, specialised knowledge beyond basic competence

Antonyms

Usage Note

Often followed by 'in' + a field or skill area (e.g. competence in finance). Less commonly followed by 'at' + a task.

Common Mistakes

She has a strong competence in accounting.
She has strong competence in accounting.
'competence' is uncountable, so it does not take 'a'.

2. The official authority of a court, organisation, or person to handle a specific

2.noun
Definition

The official authority of a court, organisation, or person to handle a specific matter within their designated scope.

Example

The case was dismissed because the court lacked the competence to hear disputes from another region.

collocation: lack + competence [legal sense]

The licensing board has the competence to approve or reject applications for medical permits.

collocation: have + the competence to [infinitive]

Common collocations
  • lack competence
  • have competence
  • within the competence of
  • outside the competence of
  • beyond the competence of
  • fall within competence
  • exceed competence
Synonyms
  • jurisdiction

    the most common legal synonym; specifically refers to the geographical or subject-matter limits of authority

  • authority

    broader term that includes legal power but also other kinds of official permission

  • remit

    British English; the area of responsibility assigned to a person or group

Usage Note

Almost exclusively used in legal or administrative contexts. The subject is typically an institution (court, board, agency) rather than an individual. Frequently paired with 'within' or 'outside' to define scope.

Common Mistakes

The judge's competence was questioned' (when legal authority is meant).
The court's competence to hear the case was questioned.
For legal authority, specify the institutional body and the scope of the power.

Word family

  • competent
    adjectiveB2
  • competently
    adverbC1
  • incompetent
    adjectiveB2
  • incompetence
    nounC1
  • competency
    nounC1
  • competence-based
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words relate to being able to do something, but they differ in scope and connotation. 'Ability' is the broadest term, covering any natural or learned capacity ('the ability to read'). 'Capability' emphasises potential — someone may have the capability to learn a skill even before they have proven it. 'Competence' (this sense) focuses on meeting a required standard for a specific role or task: a competent doctor can treat patients safely, which goes beyond merely having the 'ability' to study medicine. 'Proficiency' implies a high degree of practised skill, frequently measured against a scale, such as language proficiency levels. 'Expertise' sits at the top: deep, specialised knowledge gained through extensive experience. In practice, a job advertisement may ask for 'competence in spreadsheet software' (adequate working knowledge) but reserve 'expertise in data analysis' for senior roles requiring advanced techniques.

ability ↗capability ↗proficiencyexpertise ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • demonstrate competence
  • develop competence
  • prove competence
  • lack competence
  • have the competence to
  • within someone's competence
  • outside someone's competence
  • level of competence
  • standard of competence
  • area of competence

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

From Latin 'competentia' meaning 'agreement, symmetry,' derived from 'competere' — to come together, be suitable or qualified. The word entered English via Old French 'compétence' in the 16th century, originally carrying the sense of 'sufficiency' before shifting toward 'ability, qualification' in the 18th century. The legal sense of 'jurisdiction' developed in the 19th century.