Skip to content
HOW TO PRONOUNCE

competence

/ˈkɑm.pə.təns/

Press play to hear how to pronounce competence.

American Pronunciation Guide · 0:55
Watch on YouTube ↗

What does competence mean?

noun

  1. The quality or state of being competent, i.e. able or suitable for a general role.
  2. The quality or state of being able or suitable for a particular task; the quality or state of being competent for a particular task or skill.
  3. The system of linguistic knowledge possessed by native speakers of a language, as opposed to its actual use in concrete situations (performance), cf. linguistic competence.
More meanings (3)

noun

  1. the legal authority to deal with a matter.
  2. The degree to which a rock is resistant to deformation or flow.
  3. (dated) A sustainable income.

Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0

IPA pronunciation

/ˈkɑm.pə.təns/

Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0

Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.

In the pages of books

See this word in context.

“Isn’t that a hand to play?--a throne and your princess! And for me, say a competence and your Majesty’s gratitude.”
Anthony HopeThe prisoner of ZendaProject Gutenberg ebook #95
Blackmail, speculation on the Bourse, even the desperate expedient of a supposititious child, all these she tried as means of acquiring a competence.
H. B. (Henry Brodribb) IrvingA Book of Remarkable CriminalsProject Gutenberg ebook #446
More book examples (2)
The chances for making great fortunes quickly will be diminished, while the facilities for acquiring a competence by steady labour will be increased.
John FiskeThe Unseen World, and Other EssaysProject Gutenberg ebook #1486
Nevertheless the gifts he possessed were thoroughly recognised in his own day, and brought him, if not riches, at least competence and honour.
Andrew LangThe LibraryProject Gutenberg ebook #2018