faculty - Master This Word
Master this word with our 5-step learning method – Learn English in English
faculty Word Meanings
- a group of teachers at an educational institution
- an inherent mental or physical ability
- an administrative division within a university
faculty Example Sentences
Example sentences are the start of understanding. Don't rush to memorize. First feel how the word works in a sentence.
faculty Phonetic & Pronunciation
UK
/ˈfæk.əl.ti/
US
/ˈfæk.əl.ti/
faculty Word Etymology
faculty = fac- (to do/make) + -ulty (state/quality) | Latin 'facultas' (power, ability) → Old French 'faculté' → English. Imagine a group of professors making knowledge accessible as they share their faculties.
Note 1: These definitions and etymologies are not standard dictionary definitions, but extended explanations provided to help with memorization and understanding of the actual application of words. Through this background information, we strive to make words more vivid and easier to understand, and help you remember their meanings in real life.
Note 2: LexiTalk designs the learning flow around the linguistics principle of “Comprehensible Input.” When learners encounter material that is slightly above their level but still understandable from context, the brain naturally absorbs the language. That’s why we keep every word inside authentic contexts, using examples and associations to help you understand it and use it flexibly.
Read the FAQ explanation of Comprehensible InputEnglish Brain Route
Push open a heavy door and step into a quiet corridor, the floor cool under your feet. You move from classroom to classroom, listening to voices and watching explanations unfold. The scene makes you feel a faculty—teachers guiding you and shaping what you learn—without saying the word aloud. You test your own thinking by listening, comparing, and deciding what to focus on next, letting your mental faculties guide the move.
Real Context
Faculty can refer to three main things. First, the teachers and academic staff at a school or university, as in the faculty announced a new policy. Second, a mental or physical ability or talent, used in phrases like a faculty for languages or a keen faculty of observation. Third, an administrative division within a university, often capitalized when part of a proper name, as the Faculty of Medicine or the Faculty of Arts. The sense is determined by context: people and staff, a person’s capacity, or an academic department. The etymology traces to Latin facultas, meaning power or ability, linking people, skills, and organized units of learning.
Usage Reminders
- 5 short bullet-style reminders: Use faculty to mean either staff, ability, or a department; Capitalize when part of a formal department name; The plural faculties can refer to multiple departments or multiple abilities; The phrase the faculty often takes a singular verb when referring to the staff as a unit; Avoid mixing up with facility, which refers to a building or service.
Common Misconceptions
- Faculty only means teachers; it also means abilities or a university division.
- Confusing faculty with facility, which is a building or service.
- The phrase 'the faculties' always refers to multiple universities; usually it means multiple departments or multiple abilities.
- Using 'the faculty' to refer to a single student is incorrect; it refers to staff or a department.
- For the abilities sense, use 'a faculty' or 'faculties' rather than 'facultied'.
Thinking Differences
Faculty in English has three core senses that hinge on context: people, capacity, or a department. Learners often assume only the staff sense and may confuse with facility. Watch for capitalization in names and for plural faculties.
Learning Tips
- Learn the three senses with example contexts
- Note capitalization for department names (Faculty of X)
- Remember 'a faculty' for a single ability vs 'the faculties' for multiple abilities or departments
- Distinguish 'the faculty' (staff) vs 'the faculty' (a named department)
- Practice with collocations like 'faculty for' and 'Faculty of' to avoid mixing senses
- Keep etymology in mind to recall broad sense of power and ability
5-Step Learning Method - Learn English in English
Step 1: Meaning
What is the meaning of the word 'faculty'?
A.Dangerous
B.Ability or skill
C.Joyful
D.Tired
Step 2: Usage
In which of the following sentences is 'faculty' used correctly?
A.His faculty for playing the piano is exceptional.
B.She was faculty about her decision to quit her job.
C.He faculty ran the marathon.
D.I have no faculty for drawing.
Step 3: Similar Words
Which of the following words is most similar to 'faculty'?
A.Incapable
B.Capability
C.Limitation
D.Weakness
Step 4: Opposite Words
What is the opposite of 'faculty'?
A.Expertise
B.Disability
C.Energy
D.Talent
Step 5: Mastery
In a university setting, 'faculty' refers to:
A.Administrative staff
B.Security staff
C.Cleaning staff
D.Teaching staff
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