faculty

noun

FAK-uhl-tee/ˈfæk.əl.ti/

6 meanings of faculty

1
nounCanadaPhilippinesUScountable or uncountable
The teachers and professors at a school or college, not the students or office workers.
Like the coaches and trainers at a sports club, not the players.
The whole faculty met to discuss the new schedule.
Many faculty members helped plan the science fair.
Similarstaff, professors, academics
Note
2
nouncountable
A natural ability to do something, like seeing, hearing, or thinking clearly.
Like a skill you are born with, the way some people can sing well without lessons.
She has a real faculty for learning languages.
Old age slowly weakened his faculties.
Similarability, capacity, power, aptitude, talent
Oppositeinability, incapacity
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3
nouncountable
A part of a university that teaches one main subject area, like law or science.
Like one big section of a store that sells just one kind of thing.
She joined the science faculty after high school.
The faculty of medicine offers several different degrees.
Similarschool, college, division
Note
4
nouncountable
A special right or power that someone in charge gives to another person.
Like a permission slip from someone in charge that lets you do something.
The bishop gave the priest the faculty to bless the new chapel.
Only the council can grant that faculty.
Similarauthority, power, right, license, privilege
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5
nouncountable
All the people who work in a certain profession, seen as one group.
Like all the doctors in a country thought of as one single group.
The whole medical faculty backed the new health rules.
She wrote to the legal faculty asking for advice.
Similarprofession, establishment, fraternity
6
nouncountable
Official permission that lets someone change or repair a church building.
Like getting written permission before changing something that is not only yours.
They needed a faculty before adding the new stained-glass window.
The church finally got a faculty to repair its old roof.
Similarpermit, license, permission, authorization
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Practice

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Origin

It comes from Latin 'facultas', meaning ability or skill, which is linked to 'facilis', meaning easy. It reached English through Old French and Middle English.