facility

facility — noun

1. a specific site created for a certain kind of work, study, or recreation, usuall

1.nounB1
Definition

a specific site created for a certain kind of work, study, or recreation, usually with dedicated buildings and equipment

Example

The research facility in Hsinchu has a new laboratory for studying viruses.

modifier showing purpose: research facility

The city built a new sports facility with a swimming pool and running tracks.

Common collocations
  • research facility
  • medical facility
  • sports facility
  • storage facility
  • military facility
  • conference facility
Synonyms
  • building

    broader; any covered structure, not necessarily for a specific activity

  • venue

    often used for events, concerts, or meetings

  • complex

    a group of buildings that together serve one purpose

Grammar Patterns

[purpose] facility

facility for [activity]

Usage Note

Often paired with a purpose-related noun before 'facility', such as 'research', 'sports', 'medical', or 'storage'.

Common Mistakes

I found a facility near my house.' (Too vague.)
I found a new sports facility near my house.
Adding a purpose word makes the meaning clear.

2. the physical structures, tools, and services that are available in a place to he

2.nounB1
Definition

the physical structures, tools, and services that are available in a place to help people do what they need

Example

The hotel offers excellent facilities, including a gym and a business centre.

plural: facilities for amenities/services

The school's library facilities are too small for the growing number of students.

Common collocations
  • leisure facilities
  • kitchen facilities
  • parking facilities
  • laundry facilities
  • bathroom facilities
  • sports facilities
  • recycling facilities
Synonyms
  • amenities

    focuses on comfort and convenience; slightly more formal

  • services

    broader; can include non-physical help such as cleaning or security

  • equipment

    only tools and machines, not buildings or rooms

Grammar Patterns

facilities (plural)

facilities include [list]

Usage Note

Almost always used in the plural form 'facilities' when referring to the range of services or amenities in a building, area, or organization.

Common Mistakes

This hotel has excellent facility.
This hotel has excellent facilities.
Use the plural form when listing services or amenities.
The building has all necessary facility.
The building has all necessary facilities.
'Facility' in this sense is almost always plural.

3. a polite and formal word used instead of 'toilet' when talking about a public wa

3.nounB1
Definition

a polite and formal word used instead of 'toilet' when talking about a public washroom in a building or station

Example

Excuse me, could you tell me where the facilities are?

polite euphemism: 'the facilities' for toilet

The café has clean facilities for customers on the first floor.

Common collocations
  • public facilities
  • toilet facilities
  • bathroom facilities
  • accessible facilities
  • disabled facilities
Synonyms
  • restroom

    common in American English; less formal than 'facilities'

  • washroom

    common in Canadian and British English

  • lavatory

    formal, but more direct than 'facilities'

Grammar Patterns

the facilities

public facilities

toilet facilities

Usage Note

Almost always appears in the plural ('facilities') even when referring to a single toilet or restroom. Common in public announcements, signs, and polite requests.

Common Mistakes

Where is the facility?' (singular sounds odd)
Where are the facilities?
This sense is always plural in natural usage.

4. a natural ability that allows someone to perform a complex task smoothly and wit

4.nounC1
Definition

a natural ability that allows someone to perform a complex task smoothly and with little effort, especially in intellectual or creative areas

Example

Maeve has a natural facility for learning languages and speaks four fluently.

pattern: facility for [something]

Zaynab's facility with numbers made her a trusted accountant at the firm.

pattern: facility with [something]

Common collocations
  • natural facility
  • remarkable facility
  • facility for languages
  • facility with words
  • facility with numbers
  • facility in music
Synonyms
  • talent

    broader and more common; can apply to any natural ability

  • aptitude

    similar in formality; focuses on potential to learn

  • knack

    informal; a special skill for doing something

  • gift

    stronger; implies an exceptional, almost天生的 ability

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

facility for [something]

facility with [something]

Usage Note

Followed by 'for' + noun/gerund ('facility for languages') or 'with' + noun ('facility with words'). Not used for basic everyday skills — use 'talent' or 'knack' instead for less formal contexts.

Common Mistakes

I have a facility for cooking rice.' (Too basic for this word.)
She has a remarkable facility for learning new languages.
Use 'facility' for notable intellectual or creative talents, not routine skills.

5. a particular function or tool built into a product that lets a user perform a sp

5.nounB2
Definition

a particular function or tool built into a product that lets a user perform a specific action, such as searching, recording, or paying

Example

This smartphone has a voice-recognition facility that can type messages for you.

pattern: product has a [function] facility

The bank's mobile app includes a facility to transfer money between accounts instantly.

pattern: facility to [verb]

Common collocations
  • search facility
  • recording facility
  • reminder facility
  • payment facility
  • printing facility
  • booking facility
Synonyms
  • feature

    more common in everyday usage; less technical-sounding

  • function

    focuses on what the product does rather than the tool itself

Grammar Patterns

[product] has a [function] facility

facility to [verb]

Usage Note

Common in product manuals, software reviews, and technology descriptions. Often interchangeable with 'feature', though 'facility' sounds slightly more technical.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A 'facility' is a place designed or set up for a specific purpose, such as a research facility or a sports facility — it emphasizes function over structure. A 'building' is any covered structure with walls and a roof, regardless of purpose; every facility is a building or group of buildings, but not every building is a facility. A 'complex' refers to a group of connected buildings that work together, like a hospital complex or an apartment complex; it highlights the scale and interconnections. A 'venue' is a place where events or activities happen, especially performances, sports matches, or conferences; it focuses on people gathering for an occasion. A 'site' is a piece of land used for a particular purpose, such as a construction site or a historical site; it can be just land with no buildings at all. For example: 'The Olympic venue attracted thousands of visitors,' but 'The training facility had state-of-the-art equipment inside the main building.'

facility ↗building ↗complexvenue ↗site ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • state-of-the-art facility
  • purpose-built facility
  • shared facilities
  • on-site facilities

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'facility' entered English from Middle French 'facilité' meaning 'easiness', and ultimately from Latin 'facilitatem' (easiness, willingness), derived from 'facilis' meaning 'easy to do'. The original English meaning was 'ease or readiness in doing something' — which survives today as sense 4 (natural ability). Over time, the word shifted to describe physical places or things that make an activity easier, leading to the modern senses of a purpose-built building (sense 1), provided resources (sense 2), and product features (sense 5). The polite use for 'toilet' (sense 3) developed in the mid-20th century as an indirect euphemism.