CAPACITY

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does capacity mean? 

• CAPACITY (noun)
  The noun CAPACITY has 9 senses:

1. capability to perform or produce

2. the susceptibility of something to a particular treatment

3. the amount that can be contained

4. the maximum production possible

5. a specified function

6. (computer science) the amount of information (in bytes) that can be stored on a disk drive

7. an electrical phenomenon whereby an electric charge is stored

8. the power to learn or retain knowledge; in law, the ability to understand the facts and significance of your behavior

9. tolerance for alcohol

  Familiarity information: CAPACITY used as a noun is familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CAPACITY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Capability to perform or produce

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Context example:

a great capacity for growth

Hypernyms ("capacity" is a kind of...):

capability; capableness (the quality of being capable -- physically or intellectually or legally)

Antonym:

incapacity (lack of physical or natural qualifications)

Derivation:

capacitate (make capable)

capacitate (make legally capable or qualify in law)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The susceptibility of something to a particular treatment

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

capability; capacity

Context example:

the capability of a metal to be fused

Hypernyms ("capacity" is a kind of...):

susceptibility; susceptibleness (the state of being susceptible; easily affected)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "capacity"):

resistance (the capacity of an organism to defend itself against harmful environmental agents)

activity ((chemistry) the capacity of a substance to take part in a chemical reaction)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The amount that can be contained

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Synonyms:

capacity; content

Context example:

the gas tank has a capacity of 12 gallons

Hypernyms ("capacity" is a kind of...):

volume (the amount of 3-dimensional space occupied by an object)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "capacity"):

vital capacity (the maximum amount of air that can be exhaled after a maximum inhalation (usually tested with a spirometer); used to determine the condition of lung tissue)

Derivation:

capacious (large in capacity)

Sense 4

Meaning:

The maximum production possible

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context example:

the plant is working at 80 per cent capacity

Hypernyms ("capacity" is a kind of...):

production ((economics) manufacturing or mining or growing something (usually in large quantities) for sale)

Sense 5

Meaning:

A specified function

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context example:

he should be retained in his present capacity at a higher salary

Hypernyms ("capacity" is a kind of...):

function; office; part; role (the actions and activities assigned to or required or expected of a person or group)

Sense 6

Meaning:

(computer science) the amount of information (in bytes) that can be stored on a disk drive

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Context example:

the capacity of a hard disk drive is usually expressed in megabytes

Hypernyms ("capacity" is a kind of...):

indefinite quantity (an estimated quantity)

Domain category:

computer science; computing (the branch of engineering science that studies (with the aid of computers) computable processes and structures)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "capacity"):

formatted capacity ((computer science) the usable capacity of a disk drive; the amount of space that is left after the sector headings and boundary definitions and timing information have been added by formatting the disk)

unformatted capacity ((computer science) the total number of bytes on a disk including the space that will be required to format it)

Derivation:

capacious (large in capacity)

Sense 7

Meaning:

An electrical phenomenon whereby an electric charge is stored

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural phenomena

Synonyms:

capacitance; capacity; electrical capacity

Hypernyms ("capacity" is a kind of...):

electrical phenomenon (a physical phenomenon involving electricity)

Sense 8

Meaning:

The power to learn or retain knowledge; in law, the ability to understand the facts and significance of your behavior

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

capacity; mental ability

Hypernyms ("capacity" is a kind of...):

ability; power (possession of the qualities (especially mental qualities) required to do something or get something done)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "capacity"):

prescience; prevision (the power to foresee the future)

Antonym:

incapacity (lack of intellectual power)

Sense 9

Meaning:

Tolerance for alcohol

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Context example:

he had drunk beyond his capacity

Hypernyms ("capacity" is a kind of...):

tolerance (the power or capacity of an organism to tolerate unfavorable environmental conditions)

 Context examples 

Aminohippurate sodium is also used to measure functional capacity of the renal tubular secretory mechanism.

(Aminohippurate Sodium, NCI Thesaurus)

In addition, alpha-lipoic acid exerts metal chelating capacities and functions as a cofactor in various mitochondrial enzyme complexes involved in the decarboxylation of alpha-keto acids.

(Alpha-lipoic acid, NCI Thesaurus)

Pharmaceuticals that have the capacity to buffer blood or urine solutes are often classified as alkaline agents.

(Alkalinization, NCI Thesaurus)

Researchers from Google claimed to have reached ‘quantum supremacy’, the point at which a quantum computer can perform calculations beyond the capacity of the most powerful supercomputers.

(Quantum state of single electrons controlled by ‘surfing’ on sound waves, University of Cambridge)

The researchers evaluated the adhesion capacity and viability of healthy chondrocytes extracted from patients with osteoarthritis of the knee, screening over 380 different polyacrylate and polyurethane polymers.

(Scientists design a new hydrogel that helps regenerate cartilage, University of Granada)

Clinically, anemia represents a reduction in the oxygen-transporting capacity of a designated volume of blood, resulting from an imbalance between blood loss (through hemorrhage or hemolysis) and blood production.

(Anemia, NCI Thesaurus)

In the same amount or manner; to the same degree; in the role, function, or capacity of.

(As, NCI Thesaurus)

A SI unit of volume or capacity equal to the volume of a cube with edges one meter in length.

(Cubic Meter, NCI Thesaurus)

A lung function test result in which the lung capacity to absorb carbon monoxide is decreased.

(Decreased Carbon Monoxide Diffusing Capacity, NCI Thesaurus)

The examination of the cognitive capacities or deficits of an individual through the application of tests that probe that individual's ability to perform various mental activities such as perception, learning, and reasoning.

(Cognitive Assessment, NCI Thesaurus)