talent

noun

tal·​ent ˈta-lənt How to pronounce talent (audio)
1
a
: a special often athletic, creative, or artistic aptitude
b
: general intelligence or mental power : ability
2
: the natural endowments of a person
3
: a person of talent or a group of persons of talent in a field or activity
4
a
: any of several ancient units of weight
b
: a unit of value equal to the value of a talent of gold or silver
5
archaic : a characteristic feature, aptitude, or disposition of a person or animal
talented adjective
talentless adjective
Choose the Right Synonym for talent

gift, faculty, aptitude, bent, talent, genius, knack mean a special ability for doing something.

gift often implies special favor by God or nature.

the gift of singing beautifully

faculty applies to an innate or less often acquired ability for a particular accomplishment or function.

a faculty for remembering names

aptitude implies a natural liking for some activity and the likelihood of success in it.

a mechanical aptitude

bent is nearly equal to aptitude but it stresses inclination perhaps more than specific ability.

a family with an artistic bent

talent suggests a marked natural ability that needs to be developed.

has enough talent to succeed

genius suggests impressive inborn creative ability.

has no great genius for poetry

knack implies a comparatively minor but special ability making for ease and dexterity in performance.

the knack of getting along

Examples of talent in a Sentence

a singer with an enormous amount of talent I have no musical talent. Her artistic talent has been obvious ever since she was a child. They sang a duet in the talent show. She has a job that makes the most of her talents. His experience, skills, and talents make him perfectly suited for the job. There are many good players on the team, but she's a special talent. The company has hired some expensive legal talent for the trial. The team has recruited some of the best talent around. The company is doing a talent search to find the right person for the job.
Recent Examples on the Web Previously, she’s also urged British companies to compete on a global scale for talent to retain its attractiveness as a financial destination. Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 12 Apr. 2024 Then in 2022, the family took their talents to Hulu with their docuseries aptly titled The Kardashians which has streamed for four seasons. Krystie Lee Yandoli, Rolling Stone, 12 Apr. 2024 She’s represented by major Hollywood talent firm Creative Artists Agency, best known for working with A-listers including Brad Pitt and Viola Davis. Wendy Lee, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024 From a talent perspective, there’s little question Smith can play in the NHL. Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 11 Apr. 2024 This was another night the Heat’s offensive talent deficit against elite offensive players was crystallized. Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2024 The celebration eventually became the Legacy Awards, a Canadian awards show honoring Black emerging and established talent that aired on the CBC, the country’s public broadcaster. Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Apr. 2024 Zendaya Says 'Challengers' Gives Her a 'Grown-Up Role': 'Can't Play a Teenager for the Rest of My Life' In the romantic sports comedy, the Dune talent finds herself at the center of an intense love triangle between her husband (Mike Faist) and former boyfriend (Josh O’Connor). Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 11 Apr. 2024 The 32-year-old Bulgarian has always had supreme talent and variety in his game. Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'talent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English talente, from Latin talenta, plural of talentum unit of weight or money, from Greek talanton pan of a scale, weight; akin to Greek tlēnai to bear; in senses 3–5, from the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14–30 — more at tolerate

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4a

Time Traveler
The first known use of talent was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near talent

Cite this Entry

“Talent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/talent. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

talent

noun
tal·​ent ˈtal-ənt How to pronounce talent (audio)
1
: an ancient unit of weight and money
2
: the natural abilities of a person
3
: a special often athletic, creative, or artistic ability
4
: persons of talent in a field or activity
talented adjective
Etymology

Middle English talent "an ancient unit of weight and money"; in sense 1 from Old English talente (same meaning), from Latin talenta, plural of talentum "unit of weight or money," from Greek talanton "pan of a scale, weight"; in senses 2–4 so called from the parable of the talents told by Jesus (Matthew 25:14–30)

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