faculty

UK: /ˈfæk^əlti/ US: /ˈfækəlti/ ,(fak′əl tē)

Inflections of 'faculty' (n): npl: faculties

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

fac•ul•ty /ˈfækəlti/   n. [countable] , pl. -ties. 

1. an ability for a particular kind of action:
   He has a faculty for putting people at their ease.
2. one of the powers of the mind, such as memory, reason, or speech:
   He is 90 years old but still has most of his faculties.
3. Education one of the departments of learning, such as theology, medicine, or law, in a university:
   the medical faculty.
4. the people who teach at a university or college: [plural]
   The faculty sat as a group.
   [singular]
   The faculty is paid well.

See -fac-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

fac•ul•ty  (fak′əl tē), n., pl. -ties. 

1. an ability, natural or acquired, for a particular kind of action:
   a faculty for making friends easily.
2. one of the powers of the mind, as memory, reason, or speech:
   Though very sick, he is in full possession of all his faculties.
3. an inherent capability of the body:
   the faculties of sight and hearing.
4. exceptional ability or aptitude:
   a president with a faculty for management.
5. Education
   • the entire teaching and administrative force of a university, college, or school.
   • one of the departments of learning, as theology, medicine, or law, in a university.
   • Education the teaching body, sometimes with the students, in any of these departments.
6. the members of a learned profession:
   the medical faculty.
7. a power or privilege conferred by the state, a superior, etc.:
   The police were given the faculty to search the building.
8. Religion [Eccles.] a dispensation, license, or authorization.

• Latin facultāt- (stem of facultās) ability, power, equivalent. to facil(is) easy (see facile) + -tāt- -ty²; compare facility
• Anglo-French, Middle French
• Middle English faculte 1350–1400

Synonyms

• 1. capacity, aptitude, knack, potential, skill. See ability. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

faculty / ˈfæk^əltɪ/ noun ( -ties)

1. one of the inherent powers of the mind or body, such as reason, memory, sight, or hearing
2. any ability or power, whether acquired or inherent
3. a conferred power or right
4. a department within a university or college devoted to a particular branch of knowledge
5. the staff of such a department
6. all the teaching staff at a university, college, school, etc
7. all members of a learned profession

Etymology: 14th Century (in the sense: department of learning): from Latin facultās capability; related to Latin facilis easy