talent

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talent

native ability or aptitude in a special field: a talent for art or music

Not to be confused with:

ability – a general word for power, native or acquired, enabling one to do things well: an ability for math

capacity – actual or potential ability to perform or withstand: a capacity for hard work

faculty – a natural ability for a particular kind of action: a faculty for choosing the right friends

tal·ent

(tăl′ənt)

a. A marked innate ability, as for artistic accomplishment: has a rare talent for music.

b. Natural endowment or ability of a superior quality: The play has a cast of immense talent.

c. A person or group of people having such ability: The company makes good use of its talent.

2. A variable unit of weight and money used in ancient Greece, Rome, and the Middle East.

[Middle English, inclination, disposition, from Old French, from Medieval Latin, from Latin, balance, sum of money, from Greek talanton; see telə- in Indo-European roots. Sense 3, Middle English, from Old English talente, from Latin talenta, pl. of talentum, from Greek talanton.]

tal′ent·ed adj.

tal′ent·less adj.

tal′ent·less·ness n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

talent

(ˈtælənt)

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. (Historical Terms) any of various ancient units of weight and money

4. informal members of the opposite sex collectively, esp those living in a particular place: the local talent.

5. an obsolete word for inclination

[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 through the influence of the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14–30)]

ˈtalented adj

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

tal•ent

(ˈtæl ənt)

n.

1. a special, often creative natural ability or aptitude: a talent for drawing.

2. a person or persons with special ability, esp. in a particular field: the theater's major talents; the local talent.

3. a power of mind or body considered as given to a person for use and improvement: so called from the parable in Matt. 25:14–30.

4. any of various ancient units of weight, as a unit of the Middle East equal to 3000 shekels, or of Greece equal to 6000 drachmas.

5. any of various ancient monetary units equal to the value of a talent weight of gold or silver.

6. Obs. inclination or disposition.

[before 900; Middle English, Old English talente < Latin talenta, pl. of talentum < Greek tálanton balance, weight, monetary unit]

tal′ent•ed, adj.

syn: See ability.

Talent

an abundance or plenty; persons of ability collectively; actors collectively; girls collectively.

Examples: talent of his hatred, 1635; rising talent of the kingdom, 1838; talent of the stage, 1885.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Noun	1.	talent - natural abilities or qualities endowment, natural endowment, gift natural ability - ability that is inherited hang, knack, bent - a special way of doing something; "he had a bent for it"; "he had a special knack for getting into trouble"; "he couldn't get the hang of it" flair, genius - a natural talent; "he has a flair for mathematics"; "he has a genius for interior decorating" raw talent - powerfully impressive talent
	2.	talent - a person who possesses unusual innate ability in some field or activity expert - a person with special knowledge or ability who performs skillfully

talent

noun ability, gift, aptitude, power, skill, facility, capacity, bent, genius, expertise, faculty, endowment, forte, flair, knack Both her children have a talent for music.

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]

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

talent

noun

An innate capability:

aptitude, aptness, bent, faculty, flair, genius, gift, head, instinct, knack, turn.

Translations

مَوْهِبَةمَوْهِبَه

nadánítalent

talentevne

lahjakkuus

talent

hæfileiki

talento ingegno

才能

재능

talants, dotumi

talent

talento

талант

nadarjenost

talang

ความสามารถพิเศษ

yetenek kabiliyet

năng khiếu

天才天资才能

talent

[ˈtælənt]

A. N

1. (= natural ability) → talento m (for para) a writer of great talent → un escritor de muchísimo talento
to have a talent for sth: he's got a real talent for languages → tiene verdadera facilidad para los idiomas
she had a talent for making people laugh → tenía el don de saber hacer reír a la gente

2. (= talented people) → gente f capaz, gente f de talento; (= talented person) → talento m
he encourages young talent → promociona a los jóvenes talentos
he watches for talent at away matches → busca jugadores de talento en los partidos fuera de casa

3. (= opposite sex) → tíos/as mpl/fpl buenos/as, material
there's not much talent here tonight → aquí no hay mucho donde escoger esta noche, aquí no hay material
to eye up the talent → pasar revista a lo que se ofrece, comprobar el material

4. (Hist) (= coin, weight) → talento m

B. CPD talent contest N → concurso m de talentos
talent scout, talent spotter N → cazatalentos mf inv

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

talent

[ˈtælənt] n (= natural ability) → talent m
She's got lots of talent → Elle a beaucoup de talent.
to have a talent for sth → être doué(e) pour qch
He's got a real talent for languages → Il est vraiment doué pour les langues.talent competition talent contest n → concours m d'amateurstalent contest n → concours d'amateurs m (pour découvrir de futurs vedettes)

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

talent

→ Begabung f, → Talent nt; to have a talent for drawing/mathematics → Begabung f → zum Zeichnen/für Mathematik haben; a painter of great talent → ein hochbegabter or sehr talentierter Maler

(= talented people) → Talente pl

(inf: = girls) → Bräute pl (sl); (= boys) → Typen pl (sl), → Jungs pl (inf); they went to inspect the local talent → sie zogen los, um zu sehen, wie die Bräute dort waren (sl)

(Hist) → Talent nt

talent

talent scout

n → Talentsucher(in) m(f)

talent show

n → Talentwettbewerb m

talent spotter

n → Talentsucher(in) m(f) (inf)

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

talent

[ˈtælənt] n

a. (skill) → talento
he has a talent for languages → è portato per le lingue, ha facilità nell'apprendere le lingue
there isn't much musical talent in this town → non ci sono molti grandi talenti musicali in questa città
there's not much talent about tonight (Brit) (fam) (attractive people) → non c'è nessuno di decente in giro stasera

b. (Bible) → talento

talent

(ˈtӕlənt) noun

a special ability or cleverness; a skill. a talent for drawing.

ˈtalented adjective

(negative untalented) naturally clever or skilful; having or showing great ability. a talented pianist.

talent

→ مَوْهِبَة talent talent Talent ταλέντο talento lahjakkuus talent talent talento 才能 재능 talent talent talent talento талант talang ความสามารถพิเศษ yetenek năng khiếu 天才

talent

n. talento, habilidad.

References in classic literature ?

The word talent, by which they meant an inborn, almost physical, aptitude apart from brain and heart, and in which they tried to find an expression for all the artist had gained from life, recurred particularly often in their talk, as though it were necessary for them to sum up what they had no conception of, though they wanted to talk of it.

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Boys are trying enough to human patience, goodness knows, but girls are infinitely more so, especially to nervous gentlemen with tyrannical tempers and no more talent for teaching than Dr.

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voyons , you yourself, Monsieur Stroeve, you don't think there's any talent there."

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To be able to preserve these characteristics, and at the same time to diversify their operations, is one talent of a good writer.

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The rather irregular lines of his face, the curve of his lips, a prominent chin, the fine modelling of his forehead, his melancholy countenance, caused by a sense of his poverty warring with the powers that he felt within him, were all indications of repressed and imprisoned talent. In any other place than the town of Alencon the mere aspect of his person would have won him the assistance of superior men, or of women who are able to recognize genius in obscurity.

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The Highwayman was so pleased with the Traveller's philosophy and wit that he took him into partnership, and this splendid combination of talent started a newspaper.

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It would be right and just to appoint Monsieur Rabourdin" [looking full at Dutocq], "because, in that case, long and faithful service, honor, and talent would be recognized, appreciated, and properly rewarded.

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I have discovered that she possesses extraordinary talent as a mimic.

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"You were only inattentive, but you had talent- oh yes, you had talent!"

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"Indeed?" said Monte Cristo; "and so those gentlemen down there are men of great talent. I should not have guessed it.

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A natural taste or talent is a great help in choosing, you know."

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He made sketches of Watson in every conceivable attitude, and Watson was impressed by his talent. It occurred to him to take the drawings home, and he came back next day with the praises of his family.