talent en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (California) audio
- /ˈtæl.ənt/ (Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
- [ˈtäl.ənt] (California) California Vowel Shift
- /ˈtæl.ənt/ (California)
- /ˈtal.ənt/ (British, Midlands, Northern-England, Southern, Standard)
Etymology
From Middle English talent, from Old English talente, borrowed from the plural of Latin talentum (“a Grecian weight; a talent of money”), from Ancient Greek τάλαντον (tálanton, “balance, a particular weight, especially of gold, sum of money, a talent”). Compare Old High German talenta (“talent”). Later figurative senses are from Old French talent (“talent, will, inclination, desire”), derived from the biblical Parable of the Talents.
Meanings
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(countable, uncountable) A marked natural ability or skill.
Feel awfully about Scott... I always knew he couldn't think—he never could—but he had a marvelous talent and the thing is to use it—not whine in public.
1936 February 15, Ernest Hemingway, edited by Matthew J. Bruccoli and Judith Baughman, The Sons of Maxwell Perkins: Letters of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Thomas Wolfe, and Their Editor (letter to Maxwell Perkins), Columbia, S.C.: University of South Carolina Press, published 2004, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 202:He has a real talent for drawing.
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(countable, uncountable) People of talent, viewed collectively; a talented person.
And all over Hollywood, suits are licking their chops at the prospect of more malleable actors. “She’s not going to talk back,” one top talent wrangler told me dryly.
2025 October 4, Maureen Dowd, “When A.I. Came for Hollywood”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 05 Oct 2025:The director searched their talent pool to fill the new opening.
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(countable, slang, uncountable) One, especially a woman, from a particular place or area, judged by their attractiveness.
Not much talent in this bar tonight—let's hit the clubs.
I went down to the beach front, of course, for that was the first thing that all Vaalies did: to look at the sea and to check the talent on the beach.
2011, Nic Venter, Wow! What a Life!, page 179:
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(countable, historical, uncountable) A historical unit of weight and money used in ancient Greece, the Roman Empire, and the Middle East, equal to about 30 to 60 kg in various times and places.
For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew XXV:14-15:
- (countable, obsolete, uncountable) A desire or inclination for something.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| talents | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
talent stack · talent contest · talent management · talent scout · voice talent · nontalent · talent-spotting · multitalent · cybertalent · talent community · talentful · talent-spotter · talentwise · talentless · talent show · outtalent
Descendants
Synonyms
list · proficiency · talent · touch · endowment · capability · tekkers · potential · ease · ability · craft · aptitude · knack · competence · cunning · capacity · moxie · facility · technique · prowess · dexterity · hand · gift · skill · competency
Translations (199)
om kennaa (marked ability or skill) · ca talent (historical unit of weight and money) · it talenti (collective: people of talent) · scn spirtizza (marked ability or skill) · bg дар (marked ability or skill) · he כיכר (historical unit of weight and money) · cmn 才能 (marked ability or skill) · scn gnegnu (marked ability or skill) · fa-ira اِسْتِعْداد (marked ability or skill) · sh та̀лент (talented person) · oj nagajiiwin (marked ability or skill) · mi parapara (marked ability or skill) · eo talentulo (talented person) · ota صنعت (marked ability or skill) · et talent (talented person) · lt talantas (historical unit of weight and money) · fa-ira تالان (historical unit of weight and money) · uk дар (marked ability or skill) · sa गुण (marked ability or skill) · sk talent (marked ability or skill) · ro talent (marked ability or skill) · uz talant (marked ability or skill) · is hæfileikamaður (talented person) · gl talento (marked ability or skill) · te సామర్థ్యము (marked ability or skill) · es talento (marked ability or skill) · hy շնորհք (marked ability or skill) · uk тала́нт (talented person) · lad talento (marked ability or skill) · kk дарын иесі (talented person) · is hæfileiki (marked ability or skill) · kk өнерпаз (talented person) · sw kipaji (marked ability or skill) · es talentosos (collective: people of talent) · ru дар (marked ability or skill) · sh о̀бда̄рено̄ст (marked ability or skill) · nl talent (marked ability or skill) · sh tàlent (historical unit of weight and money) · km ទេពកោសល្យ (marked ability or skill) · ru тала́нт (marked ability or skill) · et talent (marked ability or skill) · tl may talihilig (talented person) · pl zdolność (marked ability or skill) · id bakat (marked ability or skill) · sv talent (historical unit of weight and money) · da begavelse (marked ability or skill) · fa-ira تالِنْت (historical unit of weight and money) · eo talentuloj (talented person) · et talent (historical unit of weight and money) · ast talentu (marked ability or skill) · fi talentti (historical unit of weight and money) · ko 달란트 (historical unit of weight and money) · cs talent (marked ability or skill) · kk білімпаз (talented person) · it talento (historical unit of weight and money) · da talent (historical unit of weight and money) · yi פֿעהיגקײַט (marked ability or skill) · vi tài năng (marked ability or skill) · tl katalihiligan (collective: people of talent) · te బుద్ధిశక్తి (talented person) · nl aanleg (marked ability or skill) · hy ձիրք (marked ability or skill) · is talenta (historical unit of weight and money) · hy տաղանդ (marked ability or skill) · ky талант (marked ability or skill) · ru тала́нт (historical unit of weight and money) · ro talent (talented person) · mi iho pūmanawa (talented person) · la tălentum (historical unit of weight and money) · ota هنر (marked ability or skill) · hi प्रतिभा (marked ability or skill) · el ταλαντούχος (talented person) · fr talent (historical unit of weight and money) · kk дарынды (talented person) · ru одарённость (marked ability or skill) · de Talent (historical unit of weight and money) · cmn 人才 (talented person) · te ధీశక్తి (collective: people of talent) · kk дарын (marked ability or skill) · sh nàdārenōst (marked ability or skill) · pl talent (marked ability or skill) · oc talent (marked ability or skill) · gl talento (historical unit of weight and money) · bg тала́нт (historical unit of weight and money) · ms bakat (marked ability or skill) · ka ნიჭი (marked ability or skill) · nv haniih (marked ability or skill) · pt talento (marked ability or skill) · uk обдаро́ваність (marked ability or skill) · es talentoso (talented person) · he כִּשָּׁרוֹן (marked ability or skill) · nl gave (marked ability or skill) · fi kyky (talented person) · az istedad (marked ability or skill) · ka ტალანტი (marked ability or skill) · nv yeʼaniihígíí (marked ability or skill) · sl nadarjenost (marked ability or skill) · eo kikaro (historical unit of weight and money) · bg тала́нтлив чове́к (talented person) · yi פֿעיִקײַט (marked ability or skill) · hu tehetség (talented person) · ko 재능 (marked ability or skill) · sv talang (talented person) · kk талант (historical unit of weight and money) · tg истеъдод (marked ability or skill) · pt talento (talented person) · mn авъяас (marked ability or skill) · ka ნიჭიერი ადამიანი (talented person) · th ตะลันต์ (historical unit of weight and money) · fi kyky (marked ability or skill) · el τάλαντο (historical unit of weight and money) · es talento (historical unit of weight and money) · uga 𐎋𐎋𐎗 (historical unit of weight and money) · scn spertu (talented person) · be тала́нт (marked ability or skill) · tl talento (marked ability or skill) · enm talent (historical unit of weight and money) · ia talento (marked ability or skill) · sq dhunti (marked ability or skill) · el τάλαντο (marked ability or skill) · pt talento (historical unit of weight and money) · id talenta (marked ability or skill) · eo talento (marked ability or skill) · nl begaafdheid (marked ability or skill) · lt talentas (marked ability or skill) · sv talang (marked ability or skill) · sk nadanie (marked ability or skill) · ml കഴിവ് (marked ability or skill) · mi taranata (historical unit of weight and money) · bg тала́нт (marked ability or skill) · ko 천부 (marked ability or skill) · ru тала́нт (talented person) · pdt Bejriff (marked ability or skill) · ar مَوْهِبَة (marked ability or skill) · scn sperta (talented person) · sh на̀да̄рено̄ст (marked ability or skill) · ta திறமை (marked ability or skill) · ja 才能 (marked ability or skill) · yi טאַלאַנט (marked ability or skill) · cs nadání (marked ability or skill) · da talent (talented person) · fr talent (talented person) · be дар (marked ability or skill) · yi טאַלענט (talented person) · sh tàlent (marked ability or skill) · sl talènt (marked ability or skill) · sh та̀лент (historical unit of weight and money) · lad marafet (marked ability or skill) · is hæfileikafólk (collective: people of talent) · el ταλέντο (marked ability or skill) · lv talants (marked ability or skill) · it talento (talented person) · kk талант (talented person) · de Begabung (marked ability or skill) · tg талант (marked ability or skill) · fi lahjakkuus (marked ability or skill) · lv talants (talented person) · fi lahjakkuus (talented person) · nb talent (marked ability or skill) · be адо́ранасць (marked ability or skill) · da talent (marked ability or skill) · ca talent (marked ability or skill) · cy talent (marked ability or skill) · de Talent (marked ability or skill) · cmn 天賦 /天赋 (marked ability or skill) · sw talanta (marked ability or skill) · pl dar (marked ability or skill) · it talento (marked ability or skill) · enm besaunt (marked ability or skill) · te ప్రతిభ (talented person) · uk зді́бність (marked ability or skill) · sh та̀лент (marked ability or skill) · sh tàlent (talented person) · hu tehetség (marked ability or skill) · cmn 才華 /才华 (marked ability or skill) · mi pūmanawa (marked ability or skill) · sq prirje (marked ability or skill) · tr yetenek (marked ability or skill) · uz isteʻdod (marked ability or skill) · lv talants (historical unit of weight and money) · fa-ira تالِنْت (marked ability or skill) · eo talanto (historical unit of weight and money) · enm talent (marked ability or skill) · sw talanta (historical unit of weight and money) · la indoles (marked ability or skill) · uk тала́нт (historical unit of weight and money) · th พรสวรรค์ (marked ability or skill) · fr talent (marked ability or skill) · hu talentum (historical unit of weight and money) · cs talent (historical unit of weight and money) · te తూనిక విశేషము (historical unit of weight and money) · ast talentu (historical unit of weight and money) · ja 天賦 (marked ability or skill) · is gáfa (marked ability or skill) · sh òbdārenōst (marked ability or skill) · grc τάλαντον (historical unit of weight and money) · uk тала́нт (marked ability or skill) · sl talènt (historical unit of weight and money) · be адо́ранасьць (marked ability or skill)