Talent is the natural ability to do something well.
She is proud that both her children have a talent for music.
The player was given hardly any opportunities to show off his talents.
He's got lots of talent.
Synonyms: ability, gift, aptitude, parts More Synonyms of talent
2. See also talent show
talent in British English
(ˈtælənt)
noun
1.
innate ability, aptitude, or faculty, esp when unspecified; above average ability
a talent for cooking
a child with talent
2.
a person or persons possessing such ability
3.
any of various ancient units of weight and money
4. informal
sexually attractive people collectively, esp those living in a particular place
the local talent
5. an obsolete word for inclination
Derived forms
talented (ˈtalented)
adjective
Word origin
Old English talente, from Latin talenta, pl of talentum sum of money, from Greek talanton unit of money or weight; in Medieval Latin the sense was extended to ability throughthe influence of the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14–30)
talent in American English
(ˈtælənt)
noun
1.
any of various large units of weight or of money (the value of a talent weight ingold, silver, etc.) used in ancient Greece, Rome, the Middle East, etc.
2.
any natural ability or power; natural endowment
3.
a superior, apparently natural ability in the arts or sciences or in the learning or doing of anything
4.
people collectively, or a person, with talent
to encourage young talent
SYNONYMY NOTE: talent implies an apparently native ability for a specific pursuit and connotes either thatit is or can be cultivated by the one possessing it [a talent for drawing]; gift suggests that a special ability is bestowed upon one, as by nature, and not acquiredthrough effort [a gift for making plants grow]; aptitude implies a natural inclination for a particular work, specif. as pointing to specialfitness for, or probable success in, it [aptitude tests]; faculty implies a special ability that is either inherent or acquired, as well as a readyease in its exercise [the faculty of judgment]; knack implies an acquired faculty for doing something cleverly and skillfully [the knack of rhyming]; genius implies an inborn mental endowment, specif. of a creative or inventive kind in thearts or sciences, that is exceptional or phenomenal [the genius of Edison]
Derived forms
talented (ˈtalented)
adjective
Word origin
ME < OE talente < L talentum, a coin, orig., unit of weight < Gr talanton, a unit of money, weight, orig., a balance < IE base *tel-, to lift up, weigh, bear > tolerate: senses 2-4 from the parable of the talents (Matt: 25:14-30)
Examples of 'talent' in a sentence
talent
Then she undermined him, destroyed his confidence in his own talent, put it about that he was unreliable, a troublemaker.
Hinxman, Margaret THE SOUND OF MURDER
I thought she had all the beauty and sweetness and talent in the world.
Ferrars, Elizabeth UNREASONABLE DOUBT
On the ground level the walls were hung with huge modern paintings which demonstrated that size is not commensurate with talent.
Forbes, Bryan THE ENDLESS GAME
Quotations
Talent is like electricity. We don't understand electricity. We use itMaya Angelou
Genius does what it must, and talent does what it canE.G. Bulwer-Lytton
Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself, but talent instantly recognizes geniusSir Arthur Conan DoyleThe Valley of Fear
In other languages
talent
British English: talent /ˈtælənt/ NOUN
Talent is the natural ability to do something well.
Both her children show exceptional musical talent.
American English: talent
Arabic: مَوْهِبَة
Brazilian Portuguese: talento
Chinese: 天才
Croatian: talent
Czech: talent
Danish: talent
Dutch: talent
European Spanish: talento
Finnish: lahjakkuus
French: talent
German: Talent
Greek: ταλέντο
Italian: talento
Japanese: 才能
Korean: 재능
Norwegian: talent
Polish: talent
European Portuguese: talento
Romanian: talent
Russian: талант
Latin American Spanish: talento
Swedish: talang
Thai: ความสามารถพิเศษ
Turkish: yetenek
Ukrainian: талант
Vietnamese: năng khiếu
All related terms of 'talent'
talent show
A talent show , talent competition , or talent contest is a show where ordinary people perform an act on stage , usually in order to try to win a prize for the best performance .
talent scout
A talent scout is someone whose job is to find people who have talent, for example as actors , footballers, or musicians , so that they can be offered work.
talent contest
a contest in which people compete by showcasing their talents , for example in singing , dancing , acrobatics , etc
talent spotter
a person whose occupation is the search for talented artists , sportspeople, performers, etc, for engagements as professionals
talent competition
a contest in which people compete by showcasing their talents , for example in singing , dancing , acrobatics , etc
Chinese translation of 'talent'
talent
(ˈtælnt)
n(c/u)
才能 (cáinéng) (种(種), zhǒng)
to have a talent for sth在某事上有天分 (zài mǒushì shang yǒu tiānfèn)
(noun)
Definition
a natural ability to do something well
Both her children have a talent for music.
Synonyms
ability
Her drama teacher spotted her ability.
gift
As a youth he discovered a gift for teaching.
aptitude
He discovered an aptitude for working in accounts.
parts
power
He was so terrified that he had lost the power of speech.
skill
The cut of a diamond depends on the skill of its craftsman.
facility
They shared a facility for languages.
capacity
Our capacity for giving care, love and attention is limited.
bent
a bent for natural history
genius
This is the mark of her genius as a designer.
expertise
the lack of management expertise within the company
faculty
a faculty for self-preservation
endowment
individuals with higher-than-average intellectual endowments
forte
Originality was never my forte.
flair
She has a flair for languages.
knack
He's got the knack of getting people to listen.
Quotations
Talent is like electricity. We don't understand electricity. We use it [Maya Angelou]Genius does what it must, and talent does what it can [E.G. Bulwer-Lytton]Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself, but talent instantly recognizes genius [Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – The Valley of Fear]
Additional synonyms
in the sense of aptitude
Definition
natural tendency or ability
He discovered an aptitude for working in accounts.
Synonyms
gift,
ability,
talent,
capacity,
intelligence,
leaning,
bent,
tendency,
faculty,
capability,
flair,
inclination,
disposition,
knack,
propensity,
proficiency,
predilection,
cleverness,
proclivity (formal),
quickness,
giftedness,
proneness,
aptness
in the sense of bent
Definition
personal inclination or aptitude
a bent for natural history
Synonyms
inclination,
ability,
taste,
facility,
talent,
leaning,
tendency,
preference,
faculty,
forte,
flair,
knack,
penchant,
bag (slang),
propensity,
aptitude,
predisposition,
predilection,
proclivity (formal),
turn of mind
in the sense of capacity
Definition
the ability to do something
Our capacity for giving care, love and attention is limited.
Synonyms
ability,
power,
strength,
facility,
gift,
intelligence,
efficiency,
genius,
faculty,
capability,
forte,
readiness,
aptitude,
aptness,
competence or competency
Synonyms of 'talent'
talent
Explore 'talent' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of endowment
Definition
a natural talent or quality
individuals with higher-than-average intellectual endowments
Synonyms
talent,
power,
feature,
quality,
ability,
gift,
capacity,
characteristic,
attribute,
qualification,
genius,
faculty,
capability,
flair,
aptitude
in the sense of expertise
Definition
special skill, knowledge, or judgment
the lack of management expertise within the company
Synonyms
skill,
knowledge,
know-how (informal),
facility,
grip,
craft,
judgment,
grasp,
mastery,
knack,
proficiency,
dexterity,
cleverness,
deftness,
adroitness,
aptness,
expertness,
knowing inside out,
ableness,
masterliness,
skilfulness
in the sense of facility
Definition
the ability to do things easily and well
They shared a facility for languages.
Synonyms
ability,
skill,
talent,
gift,
craft,
efficiency,
knack,
fluency,
proficiency,
dexterity,
quickness,
adroitness,
expertness,
skilfulness
in the sense of faculty
Definition
any ability or power, either inborn or acquired
a faculty for self-preservation
Synonyms
ability,
power,
skill,
facility,
talent,
gift,
capacity,
bent,
capability,
readiness,
knack,
propensity,
aptitude,
dexterity,
cleverness,
adroitness,
turn
in the sense of flair
Definition
natural ability
She has a flair for languages.
Synonyms
ability,
feel,
talent,
gift,
genius,
faculty,
accomplishment,
mastery,
knack,
aptitude
in the sense of forte
Definition
something at which a person excels
Originality was never my forte.
Synonyms
speciality,
strength,
talent,
strong point,
métier,
long suit (informal),
gift
in the sense of genius
Definition
such ability
This is the mark of her genius as a designer.
Synonyms
brilliance,
ability,
talent,
capacity,
gift,
bent,
faculty,
excellence,
endowment,
flair,
inclination,
knack,
propensity,
aptitude,
cleverness,
creative power,
GEnys
in the sense of gift
Definition
a special ability or power
As a youth he discovered a gift for teaching.
Synonyms
talent,
ability,
capacity,
genius,
power,
bent,
faculty,
capability,
forte,
flair,
knack,
aptitude,
attribute
in the sense of knack
Definition
an ability to do something difficult with apparent ease
He's got the knack of getting people to listen.
Synonyms
skill,
art,
ability,
facility,
talent,
gift,
capacity,
trick,
bent,
craft,
genius,
expertise,
forte,
flair,
competence,
ingenuity,
propensity,
aptitude,
dexterity,
cleverness,
quickness,
adroitness,
expertness,
handiness,
skilfulness
in the sense of power
Definition
ability to do something
He was so terrified that he had lost the power of speech.
Synonyms
ability,
capacity,
faculty,
property,
potential,
capability,
competence,
competency
Additional synonyms
in the sense of skill
Definition
special ability or expertise enabling one to perform an activity very well
The cut of a diamond depends on the skill of its craftsman.