skill - talent and ability

talent

talent [noun] (NATURAL ABILITY)

(someone who has) a natural ability to be good at something, especially without being taught

US /ˈtæl.ənt/ 
UK /ˈtæl.ənt/ 

استعداد

مثال: 

Her talent for music showed at an early age.

Oxford Essential Dictionary

talent

 noun
a natural ability to do something very well:
She has a talent for drawing.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

talent

talent W3 /ˈtælənt/ BrE AmE noun
[Date: 1400-1500; Origin: talent unit of weight or money in the ancient world (9-21 centuries), from Latin talentum, from Greek talanton; from a story in the Bible in which a man gives talents to his three servants, and two of them use them well]
1. [uncountable and countable] a natural ability to do something well:
He has a lot of talent, and his work is fresh and interesting.
talent for
She showed a talent for acting at an early age.
a persuasive speaker with a natural talent for leadership
His latest book reveals hidden talents.
Sadly, she inherited none of her father’s musical talent.
Your brother is a man of many talents.
There’s a wealth of talent in English football.
talent for
She showed a talent for acting at an early age.
2. [uncountable] a person or people with a natural ability or skill:
Britain’s footballing talent
3. [uncountable] British English informal sexually attractive people
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
have talent Greg has a real talent for drawing.
show talent Zach was the only one who showed any natural talent.
use your talents They have been using their artistic talents to brighten up the school.
develop your talent Education allows people to develop their talents to the full.
waste your talents They felt their son was wasting his talents and his time.
sb’s talents flourish (=develop successfully) The school created an atmosphere in which young talent could flourish.
■ adjectives
great/considerable/exceptional talent He had a great talent for making money.
real talent She has real talent and with a little help she could go far.
natural talent Ronaldo is a player of immense natural talent.
raw talent (=used to describe someone with natural ability who has not had much training) He’s got lots of raw talent but he needs a good coach.
a hidden talent Have a go – you may discover a hidden talent!
musical/artistic/creative etc talent It was at school that Brian’s musical talents were spotted.
■ talent + NOUN
a talent contest/show/competition Don’t assume winning a talent contest is a passport to success.
■ phrases
a wealth of talent (=a large amount of talent) There’s a wealth of musical talent in New York and other large American cities.
a pool of talent (=lots of talented people) Employers can draw on an enormous pool of talent in this area.
• • •
THESAURUS
skill [uncountable and countable] an ability to do something well, especially because you have learned and practised it: He plays the piano with great skill. | communication/language/computer etc skills | The course will help you improve your communication skills.
talent [uncountable and countable] a natural ability to do something well which can be developed with practice: She was a young artist with a lot of talent. | She showed a talent for acting from an early age. | He is a man of many talents.
genius [uncountable] very great ability, which only a few people have: The opera shows Mozart’s genius as a composer. | Picasso was a painter of genius.
gift [countable] a natural ability to do something very well, which you were born with: You can see that he has a gift for the game. | Winterson has great gifts as a writer.
flair [singular, uncountable] skill for doing something, especially something that needs imagination and creativity: The job does require some creative flair. | She has a flair for languages.
expertise [uncountable] specialized knowledge of a technical subject, which you get from experience of doing that type of work: The technical expertise for building the dam is being provided by a US company.
a/the knack /næk/ [singular] informal a special skill for doing a particular thing, especially a simple everyday thing: Breadmaking is easy once you get the knack. | He has a knack for making people feel relaxed.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

talent

tal·ent [talent talents]   [ˈtælənt]    [ˈtælənt]  noun
1. countable, uncountable a natural ability to do sth well
to have great artistic talent
a man of many talents
~ (for sth/for doing sth) She showed considerable talent for getting what she wanted.

• a talent competition/contest/show (= in which people perform, to show how well they can sing, dance, etc.)

2. uncountable, countable people or a person with a natural ability to do sth well
There is a wealth of young talent in British theatre.

• He is a great talent.

3. uncountable (BrE, slang) people who are sexually attractive
He likes to spend his time chatting up the local talent.  
Word Origin:
Old English talente, talentan (as a unit of weight), from Latin talenta, plural of talentum ‘weight, sum of money’, from Greek talanton. The current sense is a figurative use based on the parable of the talents in the Bible (Matt. 25:14–30).  
Example Bank:
Hard work is important, but it is no substitute for raw talent.
He has been putting his artistic talents to good use.
He is a violinist of exceptional talent.
Her talents lay in organization.
His parents accused him of wasting his talents and abilities.
Hollywood directors have a marvellous pool of acting talent to draw from.
It takes real talent to write a great pop song.
She has a keen eye for spotting talent.
The banquet gave the chef a chance to flaunt his talents.
The boy has undoubted talent.
The company is always looking out for new talent.
The festival attracts talent from all over the world.
The theatre visits schools to tap young talent.
There is a shortage of new comedy talent coming through.
There is a wealth of talent out there in our schools.
United have unearthed a real talent in this young defender.
We are losing our top talent to other countries who pay more.
Where does her musical talent come from?
You have a natural talent for storytelling.
an effort to develop his creative talents to the full
kids with musical talent
one of the few teams that relies on home-grown talent
As a boy, Elvis was entered for a talent contest at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair.
• He's a man of many talents.

• She has great artistic talent.

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

talent / ˈtæl. ə nt / noun [ C or U ] (NATURAL ABILITY)

B1 (someone who has) a natural ability to be good at something, especially without being taught:

Her talent for music showed at an early age.

His artistic talents were wasted in his boring job.

 

talentless / -ləs / adjective
 

talent / ˈtæl. ə nt / noun [ U ] UK slang mainly humorous (ATTRACTIVE PEOPLE)

people who are sexually attractive:

There was plenty of talent at the party last night.

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

talent

[tæ̱lənt]
 talents
 N-VAR: oft N for n

 Talent is the natural ability to do something well.
 → See also talent show
  She is proud that both her children have a talent for music...
  The player was given hardly any opportunities to show off his talents...
  He's got lots of talent.

 

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary: 

talent

tal·ent /ˈtælənt/ noun, pl -ents
1 : a special ability that allows someone to do something well

[noncount]

• a singer with an enormous amount of talent
• I have no musical talent.
• Her artistic/creative talent has been obvious ever since she was a child.
• athletic talent
• a person of talent = a person who has talent
• They sang a duet in the talent show/contest.

[count]

• She has a job that makes the most of her talents.
• His experience, skills, and talents make him perfectly suited for the job.
• He has many talents. = He's a man of many talents.
• He seems to have a talent for getting into trouble. [=he often gets into trouble]
2 : a person or group of people with a special ability to do something well : a talented person or group

[count]

• There are many good players on the team, but she's a special talent.

[noncount]

• The company has hired some expensive legal talent for the trial.
• The team has recruited some of the best talent around.
• The company is doing a talent search to find the right person for the job.
3 [noncount] Brit slang : people who are sexually attractive
• checking out the local talent

genius

genius [noun]

very great and rare natural ability or skill, especially in a particular area such as science or art, or a person who has this

US /ˈdʒiː.ni.əs/ 
UK /ˈdʒiː.ni.əs/ 

نبوغ

مثال: 

Einstein was a (mathematical) genius.

Oxford Essential Dictionary

genius

 noun (plural geniuses)
a very clever person:
Einstein was a genius.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

genius

genius /ˈdʒiːniəs/ BrE AmE noun
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Latin; Origin: 'spirit who guards a person or place', from gignere; ⇨ ↑genital]
1. [uncountable] a very high level of intelligence, mental skill, or ability, which only a few people have:
The film reveals Fellini’s genius.
work/writer/man etc of genius
Wynford was an architect of genius.
a stroke of genius (=a very clever idea)
At the time, his appointment seemed a stroke of genius.
a work of pure genius
2. [countable] someone who has an unusually high level of intelligence, mental skill, or ability:
Freud was a genius.
musical/comic/mathematical etc genius
a genius at (doing) something
My father was a genius at storytelling.
3. a genius for (doing) something special skill at doing something:
That woman has a genius for organization.
Warhol’s genius for publicity
• • •
THESAURUS
skill [uncountable and countable] an ability to do something well, especially because you have learned and practised it: He plays the piano with great skill. | communication/language/computer etc skills | The course will help you improve your communication skills.
talent [uncountable and countable] a natural ability to do something well which can be developed with practice: She was a young artist with a lot of talent. | She showed a talent for acting from an early age. | He is a man of many talents.
genius [uncountable] very great ability, which only a few people have: The opera shows Mozart’s genius as a composer. | Picasso was a painter of genius.
gift [countable] a natural ability to do something very well, which you were born with: You can see that he has a gift for the game. | Winterson has great gifts as a writer.
flair [singular, uncountable] skill for doing something, especially something that needs imagination and creativity: The job does require some creative flair. | She has a flair for languages.
expertise [uncountable] specialized knowledge of a technical subject, which you get from experience of doing that type of work: The technical expertise for building the dam is being provided by a US company.
a/the knack /næk/ [singular] informal a special skill for doing a particular thing, especially a simple everyday thing: Breadmaking is easy once you get the knack. | He has a knack for making people feel relaxed.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

genius

ge·nius [genius geniuses genii]   [ˈdʒiːniəs]    [ˈdʒiːniəs]  noun (pl. ge·niuses)
1. uncountable unusually great intelligence, skill or artistic ability
the genius of Shakespeare
• a statesman of genius

• Her idea was a stroke of genius.

2. countable a person who is unusually intelligent or artistic, or who has a very high level of skill, especially in one area
a mathematical/comic, etc. genius
• He's a genius at organizing people.

• You don't have to be a genius to see that they are in love!

3. singular ~ for sth/for doing sth a special skill or ability
He had a genius for making people feel at home.
Idiom: somebody's good genius  
Word Origin:
late Middle English: from Latin, attendant spirit present from one's birth, innate ability or inclination, from the root of gignere ‘beget’. The original sense ‘spirit attendant on a person’ gave rise to a sense ‘a person's characteristic disposition’ (late 16th cent.), which led to a sense ‘a person's natural ability’, and finally ‘exceptional natural ability’ (mid 17th cent.).  
Thesaurus:
genius noun C
He was a comic genius.
prodigybrainmastermind
Opp: dunce
the genius/brains/mastermind behind sth
a true/child genius/prodigy
a great/scientific genius/brain 
Example Bank:
In a flash of pure genius, she realized the answer to the problem.
It was a stroke of genius on my part to avoid such awkward questions.
She has a genius for sorting things out.
a work which shows real genius
a writer of genius
his genius for pinpointing the absurd
He was a man of great genius.
He was undoubtedly the greatest comic genius of his age.
In flash of pure genius, the answer came to her.
It's undoubtedly a work of genius.
She was at the peak of her creative genius.
She's a genius at getting things organized.
Some people say that there is only ever one true genius born in each generation.
That was a stroke of genius.
• You don't have to be a genius to see that this plan is not going to work.

• You're an absolute genius!
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Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
 

genius / ˈdʒiː.ni.əs / noun [ C or U ] ( plural geniuses )

C1 very great and rare natural ability or skill, especially in a particular area such as science or art, or a person who has this:

(an) artistic/creative/musical genius

Einstein was a (mathematical) genius.

From the age of three, she showed signs of genius.

It was such a brilliant idea - a real stroke of genius.

evil genius literary a person who has a strong bad influence over other people:

The film was about an evil genius who wanted to control the world.

have a genius for sth to be especially skilled at a particular activity:

She has a genius for raising money.

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

genius

/dʒi:niəs/
(geniuses)

1.
Genius is very great ability or skill in a particular subject or activity.
This is the mark of her real genius as a designer...
The man had genius and had made his mark in the aviation world...
Its very title is a stroke of genius.
N-UNCOUNT

2.
A genius is a highly talented, creative, or intelligent person.
Chaplin was not just a genius, he was among the most influential figures in film history.
N-COUNT

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary: 

genius

ge·nius /ˈʤiːnjəs/ noun, pl -nius·es
1 [count]
a : a very smart or talented person : a person who has a level of talent or intelligence that is very rare or remarkable
• Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton were great scientific geniuses.
• a musical/artistic/creative genius
• You don't have to be a genius to see that this plan will never work.
b : a person who is very good at doing something
• He was a genius at handling the press.
2 a [noncount] : great natural ability : remarkable talent or intelligence
• She's now widely recognized as an artist of genius.
• He's admired for his comic/artistic/scientific genius.
b [singular] : a great or unusual talent or ability - usually + for
• She has a genius for knowing what will sell.
• He had a genius for getting into trouble. [=he often got into trouble]
3 [singular]
a : a very clever or smart quality
• The (sheer) genius of his theory was not immediately recognized.
b : a part of something that makes it unusually good or valuable
• My plan is simple—that's the genius of it.
• The genius of these new computers is their portability.
a stroke of genius : a brilliant and successful idea or decision
• Deciding to relocate the company was a stroke of genius.

ability

ability [noun]

the physical or mental power or skill needed to do something

US /əˈbɪl.ə.t̬i/ 
UK /əˈbɪl.ə.ti/ 

توانایی، توانمندی

مثال: 

He does not have the ability to manage this large company. 

او توانايى‌ اداره‌ اين‌ شركت‌ بزرگ‌ را ندارد.

the physical or mental power or skill needed to do something

معادل فارسی: 

توانایی، توانمندی

مثال انگلیسی: 

He does not have the ability to manage this large company. 

او توانايى‌ اداره‌ اين‌ شركت‌ بزرگ‌ را ندارد.

Oxford Essential Dictionary

ability

 noun (plural abilities)
the power and knowledge to do something:
She has the ability to pass the exam, but she must work harder.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

ability

ability S2 W1 /əˈbɪləti, əˈbɪlɪti/ BrE AmE noun (plural abilities)
[Word Family: noun: ability ≠ inability, disability; adjective: able ≠ unable, disabled; verb: enable ≠ disable; adverb: ably]
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: Old French; Origin: habilité, from Latin habilitas, from habilis; ⇨ able]
1. [countable] the state of being able to do something
ability to do something
the ability to walk
The health center serves all patients, regardless of their ability to pay.
2. [uncountable and countable] someone’s level of skill at doing something:
The test measures your mathematical ability.
mixed ability classes
of high/low etc ability
students of average ability
There are musicians of all abilities.
somebody's abilities as something
He showed his abilities as a leader.
3. to the best of your ability as well as you can:
He completed the job to the best of his ability.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meanings 1 & 2)
■ adjectives
high/low/average ability a group of low ability pupils | Many of these students are of above average ability. | Children of high ability demand more absorbing tasks.
great/considerable ability He was a young man of great ability. | These drawings required considerable ability on the part of the artist.
remarkable/outstanding/exceptional ability a writer of remarkable ability | The company aims to select people of outstanding ability. | his exceptional ability as a swimmer
mixed ability (=at different levels) a mixed ability class
uncanny ability (=an unusual ability that is difficult to explain) He has an uncanny ability for spotting investment opportunities.
natural ability (also innate ability formal) (=an ability that you are born with) He didn't have the natural ability of his brother. | Babies have an innate ability to do simple maths.
physical/athletic ability He has considerable athletic ability.
artistic/creative ability You do not need to have any artistic ability.
musical ability Tim showed musical ability at an early age.
acting ability Her acting abilities were obvious straightaway.
mental ability The exercises are supposed to help you improve your mental ability.
intellectual/academic ability No one doubts his intellectual abilities. | A degree is evidence of your academic ability in a particular subject area.
verbal/linguistic ability (=language skills) The test is intended to measure the children's linguistic ability.
mathematical ability These students have a higher level of mathematical ability.
proven ability (=that you have proved through your achievements) Companies often value the proven ability and reliability of older employees.
■ verbs
have the ability to do something (also possess the ability to do something formal) She has the ability to make people feel relaxed.
show/demonstrate the ability to do something a chance for candidates to demonstrate their abilities
lack the ability to do something As a young man, he lacked the ability to say no.
■ phrases
a level of ability/ability level The children were of the same age and ability level.
a range of ability/ability range There is a wide range of ability within the class. | Disruptive behaviour is more prominent in the lower ability range.
a test of ability/an ability test Examinations are not always a good test of ability. | The class was given a verbal ability test.
an ability group (=a group that students are taught in, based on their level of ability) Children are divided into different ability groups.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

ability

 

 

abil·ity [ability abilities]   [əˈbɪləti]    [əˈbɪləti]  noun (pl. abil·ities)
1. singular ~ to do sth the fact that sb/sth is able to do sth
The system has the ability to run more than one program at the same time.
Everyone has the right to good medical care regardless of their ability to pay.
• A gentle form of exercise will increase your ability to relax.

Opp:  inability

2. countable, uncountable a level of skill or intelligence
Almost everyone has some musical ability.
He was a man of extraordinary abilities.
students of mixed abilities
A woman of her ability will easily find a job.
I try to do my job to the best of my ability (= as well as I can).  
Word Origin:
late Middle English: from Old French ablete, from Latin habilitas, from habilis ‘able’.  
Thesaurus:
ability noun
1. sing., U
the ability to learn
capabilitycapacitypower
Opp: inability
the ability/capability/capacity/power to do sth
beyond/within your ability/capability/capacity/power
2. U, C
a child's natural abilities
talentgiftskillexpertiseaptitudecompetenceproficiencyartflair|informal knackknow-how|formal prowess
a natural ability/talent/gift/skill/aptitude/flair
(a) special ability/talent/gift/skill/expertise/aptitude 
Example Bank:
Fox's abilities were soon recognized.
I seem to have lost my ability to attract clients.
I taught a wide range of abilities.
It is much more difficult to teach a mixed-ability class.
It's important to discover the natural abilities of each child.
She showed a high level of ability as a runner.
She showed great ability in mathematics.
The school does nothing for children of high ability.
There was a high level of ability among the school leavers.
We will keep you informed to the best of our ability.
discovering the natural abilities of each child
• Are you used to teaching students of mixed abilities?

• I try to do the job to the best of my ability.

 

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
 

ability / əˈbɪl.ɪ.ti /   / -ə.t̬i / noun [ C or U ]

B1 the physical or mental power or skill needed to do something:

There's no doubting her ability.

[ + to infinitive ] She had the ability to explain things clearly and concisely.

She's a woman of considerable abilities.

I have children in my class of very mixed abilities (= different levels of skill or intelligence) .

a mixed-ability class

Word partners for ability

demonstrate / have / possess ability • lack ability • lose the ability to do sth • affect / limit sb's ability to do sth • innate / instinctive / natural ability • amazing / remarkable / uncanny ability • proven ability

© Cambridge University Press 2013

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

ability

[əbɪ̱lɪti]
 ♦♦
 abilities

 1) N-SING: N to-inf, oft with poss Your ability to do something is the fact that you can do it.
  The public never had faith in his ability to handle the job...
  He has the ability to bring out the best in others.
  Syn:
  capability
 2) N-VAR: oft with poss Your ability is the quality or skill that you have which makes it possible for you to do something.
  Her drama teacher spotted her ability...
  I have confidence in the ability of the players...
  They repeatedly questioned his leadership abilities...
  Does the school cater for all abilities?
 3) PHRASE If you do something to the best of your abilities or to the best of your ability, you do it as well as you can.
  I take care of them to the best of my abilities...
  They tackled them to the best of their ability.

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary: 

ability

abil·i·ty /əˈbɪləti/ noun, pl -ties : the power or skill to do something

[count]

• a young woman with many remarkable musical/artistic/athletic abilities
- often followed by to + verb
• a teacher with an ability to inspire his students
• Does he have the ability [=authority] to fire employees?
• a writer's ability [=capability, capacity] to interest readers

[noncount]

• a young woman of great musical/artistic/athletic ability
• She has shown some ability with foreign languages.
• He always works to the best of his ability. [=as well as he can]

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