English
ability
Ability comes from Middle English abilite, from Old French ablete, from Latin habilitās ‘aptness’, from habilis ‘apt, able’.
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEhabeō‘to have, possess’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEhabilis‘apt, fit, able’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEhabilitās‘aptness, ability’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400ablete
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500abilite‘suitability, ability’
- Englishearliest quotation 1611ability
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEhabeō‘to have, possess’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEhabilis‘apt, fit, able’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEhabilitās‘aptness, ability’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400ablete
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500abilite‘suitability, ability’
- Englishearliest quotation 1611ability
Earliest quotation: 1611, The Holy Bible, London: […] Robert Barker: “Then the disciples, euery man according to his abilitie,…”
Formed from able + -ity
Proto-Indo-European *gʰeh₁bʰ- ‘to grab, take’
…
Latin habeō ‘to have’
Latin habilis ‘easily managed, held, or handled’
Old Northern French able ‘able’
Middle English able ‘capable’
English able
first attested First attested in the 1300s (as stated in the etymology)
The story
First attested in the 1300s.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *gʰeh₁bʰ- ‘to grab, to take’
doubt, endeavor, habitat, dubious, javelin, habitual, gab, aver, 23 more
through Proto-Italic *habēō
through Latin habeō ‘to have, possess’
due, average, exhibition, habit, prohibition, prohibit, debit, inhibition, inhibit, haver, debenture, 21 more
through Latin habilis ‘apt, fit, skillful, able’
Today it means
noun Suitableness.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin habeō / ability