Word of the Day
December 4, 2019
Capability
The power or ability to do something; the possession of the qualities, resources, or capacity required to take effective action.
From Late Latin 'capabilis' meaning 'able to grasp or hold,' derived from Latin 'capere' meaning 'to take.'
Usage Examples
- Climate-related deaths have fallen dramatically due to increasing human capability to build shelter, infrastructure, and emergency response systems.
- Economic capability allows societies to adapt to changing conditions through technology, migration, and infrastructure development.
- A nation's capability to address challenges depends on affordable energy powering its industries and innovations.
From the Show
Don Watkins made capability the centerpiece of his argument against carbon taxes on the December 4, 2019 broadcast, explaining that wealthy nations with greater economic capability have reduced climate-related deaths by 98 percent over the past century.