the quality of being competent; adequacy; possession of required skill, knowledge, qualification, or capacity

He hired her because of her competence as an accountant.

sufficiency; a sufficient quantity.

an income sufficient to furnish the necessities and modest comforts of life.

Law . (of a witness, a party to a contract, etc.) legal capacity or qualification based on the meeting of certain minimum requirements of age, soundness of mind, citizenship, or the like.

Embryology . the sum total of possible developmental responses of any group of blastemic cells under varied external conditions.

Linguistics . the implicit, internalized knowledge of a language that a speaker possesses and that enables the speaker to produce and understand the language. Compare performance ( def. 8 ) .

Immunology . immunocompetence.

Geology . the ability of a fluid medium, as a stream or the wind, to move and carry particulate matter, measured by the size or weight of the largest particle that can be transported.

noun

inability , inadequacy , incapability , incompetence , inefficience , ineptness

noun

adequacy , appropriateness , capability , capacity , competency , cutting it , cutting the mustard , expertise , fitness , hacking it , know-how , makings , making the grade , might , moxie , proficiency , qualification , qualifiedness , savvy , skill , suitability , the goods , the right stuff , what it takesnotes:competence is a measure of the ability to perform a task; efficiency is a measure of the success achieved in the performance of a task , faculty , authority , mandate , right