capacity
UK: kəˈpæsɪti | US: kəˈpæsɪti
n. the maximum amount that something can contain or produce
n. the ability or power to do, experience, or understand something
n. a specified role or position (e.g., "in an advisory capacity")
capacity = cap<take/hold> + ac<adjective suffix> + ity<noun suffix>
- cap (from Latin capere, meaning "to take or hold")
- ac (Latin adjectival suffix -ax, indicating a tendency or ability)
- ity (noun-forming suffix denoting state or quality)
Etymology Origin:
The word "capacity" traces back to Latin capacitas, derived from capax ("able to hold much"), which itself comes from capere ("to take or hold"). The morpheme cap reflects the core idea of containment or grasping, while -ity transforms it into an abstract noun. Over time, the meaning expanded from physical containment (e.g., a container’s volume) to metaphorical abilities (e.g., mental or legal "holding power").
The stadium has a seating capacity of 50,000.
She has a remarkable capacity for learning languages.
He attended the meeting in his capacity as CEO.
The battery’s energy capacity has improved significantly.
This theory exceeds my capacity to understand.