Competences or competenciies?

Question

What is the plural of competence? Is it competencies or competences?Is competence synonymous to competency?ThanksSeeking

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

Competence / competences

Competency /competencies

Competence is generally uncountable. A competency is generally used for a skill you are competent at.

JohnParis · Answer

My MacBook dictionary says that the plural of competence is competences. It has no entry for the word competenices.

The Oxford Dictionary classifys competence as a 'mass noun' and does not offer a plural.

The Oxford Dictionary has no entry for the word competencies.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary says that the plural of competency is competencies.

Synonyms for competency are: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/capability, http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/capableness, http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/capacity, http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/competence, http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ability, http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/faculty

How do you wish to use the word "competencies"?

Mister Micawber · Answer

'Competency/competencies' may just be business/language jargon versions of competence. then. They are in several dictionaries as synonyms:

com·pe·ten·cy

[kom-pi-tuh

n-see]

Show IPA

–noun, plural -cies. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/competence ( defs. 1–4 )

And appear in reputable usage:

herefore, Cisco has been pursuing revenue growth in areas beyond its traditional core competencies.
Forbes Apr 7, 2011
“If the competencies are equal, then my choice is for the woman.”
BusinessWeek Jan 19, 2011
“You don’t cut one of the core competencies of the Marine Corps in order to bring down the budget deficit,” he said.
BusinessWeek Jan 6, 2011
Analyze the ad, and look for words that suggest core competencies required for the position.

Green chalk 774 · Answer

"Competence (no plural, strictly speaking..) means ability:

"He showed a degree of competence in all his work"

Competency (pl. competencies) means an area of expertise, a particular task you're good at:

"His special competency was in the area of financial accounting"

Hence competencies are the roles in which you have a particular ability or training,

It is true that in the singular they can almost be seen as synonyms but not, I suggest, in the plural

Competences or competenciies?

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

com·pe·ten·cy

Related Questions