Added 8 October 2026
capability
/ˌkeɪ.pəˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/ noun
In Latin: potentia Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about capability at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- The power or ability to generate an outcome.
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A digital token allowing a user or process to interact in a specified way with an object that is subject to access control. .mw-parser-output .defdate{font-size:smaller}
A file descriptor can be considered a capability that can only be leveraged using the appropriate system calls, passing it as an argument.
Origin
Formed in Modern English as capable + -ity.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)