faculty

[ fak-uhl-tee ]

noun

, plural fac·ul·ties.

1. an ability, natural or acquired, for a particular kind of action:

   a faculty for making friends easily.

   Synonyms: skill, potential, knack, aptitude, capacity

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.
   1. the entire teaching and administrative force of a university, college, or school.
   2. one of the departments of learning, as theology, medicine, or law, in a university.
   3. 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. Ecclesiastical. a dispensation, license, or authorization.

faculty

/ ˈfækəltɪ /

noun

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. 1. a department within a university or college devoted to a particular branch of knowledge
   2. the staff of such a department
   3. all the teaching staff at a university, college, school, etc
5. all members of a learned profession
6. archaic.
   occupation

Other Words From

• inter·facul·ty noun plural interfaculties adjective
• pro·facul·ty adjective
• under·facul·ty noun plural underfaculties

Word History and Origins

Origin of faculty¹

1350–1400; Middle English faculte < Anglo-French, Middle French < Latin facultāt- (stem of facultās ) ability, power, equivalent to facil ( is ) easy ( facile ) + -tāt- -ty ²; facility

Word History and Origins

Origin of faculty¹

C14 (in the sense: department of learning): from Latin facultās capability; related to Latin facilis easy

Synonym Study

See ability.

Example Sentences

In both Germany and the U.S., “farm to school” or “edible education” offerings in school settings have successfully encouraged students and faculty to cut down on food waste.

From Salon

“The board saw us dropping in the rankings and said, We’ve got to stabilize the ship,” said Danaya Wright, a law professor who served until May as the faculty representative on the board.

From New York Times

DIS allows students in FSU's Honors Program to work one-on-one with faculty mentors in an open-ended, hands-on research experience and would allow Hartman to be more involved with mathematical modeling.

From Science Daily

Benítez says that the legacy of de Waal was a main reason that drew her to join the faculty at Emory, where she feels that she is walking in his footsteps.

From Science Daily

A diverse team of researchers that included graduate and undergraduate students contributed to the paper, along with faculty and a postdoctoral fellowship researcher.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• department
• institute
• personnel
• staff
• university