competent
gb/kˈɑmpətɪnt/ us/kˈɑmpətɪnt/
B2
אנגלית
~ 9100
משמעויות
0 משמעויות
adjective
B2
property
1
having enough skill or ability
able to do something well enough, because you have the right skill and knowledge.
תבנית שימוש:
[someone] is competent (at [doing something] / in [a subject or area])
טעות נפוצה:
Learners sometimes confuse "competent" with "competitive". "Competent" means able to do something well enough; "competitive" means wanting to win or being able to win. Another common mistake is using the wrong preposition: say "competent at doing something" or "competent in a subject", not "competent of".
מילים נרדפות
capable (Very close in meaning; often slightly more positive and broader, not only about skill but also general ability.)
הפכים
incompetent (States that someone clearly lacks the basic skill or ability needed to do a task.)
צירופים
a competent worker
|a competent teacher
|highly competent
|technically competent
|competent in [a field]
נושאים
work
|education
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
דוגמאות
- She is a highly competent project manager who always meets her deadlines.
- You need a competent mechanic to deal with a problem this complex.
- The report was written by a team of competent researchers.
- He is competent in both spoken and written Japanese.
- The company is looking for someone who is competent at handling customer complaints.
דוגמאות ללומדים
- My doctor is very competent and I trust her.
- We need a competent driver for this long trip.
- She is competent at using a computer.
- The new manager seems competent in his job.
- I want to be competent in English before I travel.
unknown
B2
property
2
good enough but not outstanding
good enough to be okay, but not special or very good.
תבנית שימוש:
[something] is competent (but [comment about lack of excellence])
טעות נפוצה:
Learners sometimes think "competent" is a strong compliment like "excellent". In this sense, it often means only that something is fine or acceptable, and can even suggest that it is a bit boring or not special.
מילים נרדפות
adequate (Emphasizes that something just meets the basic standard; often slightly more negative or minimal than "competent".)
הפכים
poor (Describes work or performance that clearly fails to meet the expected standard.)
צירופים
a competent performance
|competent but uninspired
|perfectly competent
|competent writing
|competent but not outstanding
נושאים
work
|arts
|evaluation
|core_vocabulary
דוגמאות
- The film was competent but hardly memorable.
- Her presentation was competent, though it lacked energy and originality.
- It was a competent translation, but a native speaker could improve the style.
- The restaurant offers competent service, but nothing that makes it stand out.
- He gave a competent performance, but the role needed someone truly charismatic.
דוגמאות ללומדים
- The book is competent, but not very interesting.
- His work is competent, but not great.
- The new chef is competent, so the food is fine.
- Her drawing is competent, but it does not move me.
- The team played a competent game, but they did not win.
adjective
formal
C1
property
3
having legal or official authority
having the official or legal right and power to make a decision or take action.
תבנית שימוש:
[an authority/body/court] is competent to [do something]
טעות נפוצה:
Learners sometimes apply the everyday skill meaning in legal texts and misunderstand phrases like "competent authority". In legal and official language, it usually means the body that has the legal power in that area, not that the staff are skilled.
מילים נרדפות
authorized (Focuses on having permission or power; "competent" additionally implies formal responsibility or proper area of power.)
הפכים
unauthorized (Lacks the legal permission or official power to act in a matter.)
צירופים
competent authority
|competent court
|competent jurisdiction
|a court competent to hear the case
|the competent national authorities
נושאים
law
|government
|administration
|business
דוגמאות
- The application must be submitted to the competent authority in your country of residence.
- Only a court competent to hear criminal matters can decide this issue.
- The complaint was filed before the competent national authorities.
- Under the treaty, each state must designate a competent body to oversee compliance.
- The board is not competent to rule on individual employment disputes.
דוגמאות ללומדים
- You must send these papers to the competent authority.
- This is the competent court for this type of case.
- That office is not competent to give you a visa.
- Only a competent judge can make this decision.
- The police said another department was competent to help me.
adjective
technical
C2
property
4
able to take up foreign DNA (biology)
in biology, describing cells that can take in new DNA from outside the cell.
תבנית שימוש:
[cells/bacteria] are competent (for [transformation])
טעות נפוצה:
Outside of biology, learners may not recognize this special technical meaning and misread it as general 'skilled' or 'able'. In scientific texts, however, it refers specifically to the cell state for DNA uptake.
מילים נרדפות
transformable (Technical term emphasizing the ability to undergo genetic transformation; used mainly in specialist contexts.)
הפכים
non-competent (Used in technical contexts to describe cells that cannot take up external DNA.)
צירופים
competent cells
|genetically competent bacteria
|preparing competent cells
|transformation of competent cells
נושאים
science
|biology
|medicine
דוגמאות
- The plasmid was introduced into the competent cells by heat shock.
- We prepared chemically competent bacteria for transformation.
- Only competent cells can efficiently incorporate the foreign DNA.
- The protocol describes how to make E. coli competent for electroporation.
- Transformation efficiency depends on how competent the cells are.
דוגמאות ללומדים
- In this lab, we use competent cells to take in new DNA.
- The scientist made the bacteria competent before adding the plasmid.
- Only competent cells can get the new gene.
- The teacher showed us how to prepare competent bacteria.
- These cells are not competent, so the DNA will not enter.
דקדוק
צורת המילון
competent
IPA
GB/kˈɑmpətɪnt/
US/kˈɑmpətɪnt/
הברות והטעמה
com - pet - ent (3 הברות)
Stress on 1st syllable (com)
צורות המילה
Adjective
- Base: competent
משפחת מילים
Core family
competence
noun B2
competently
adverb
Related words
competency
noun
Negative and opposite forms
ביטויים
competent authority
1/kˈɑmpətɪnt əθˈɔɹɪti/
fixed phrase
formal
official body with legal power
an official group or person that has the legal power to decide or act in a particular area.
דוגמאות
- You must report any change of address to the competent authority.
- The competent authority will review your application and inform you of the decision.
- Each country must name a competent authority to enforce the new regulations.
competent court
1/kˈɑmpətɪnt kˈɔɹt/
fixed phrase
formal
court that has jurisdiction
a court that has the legal right to hear and decide a certain kind of case.
דוגמאות
- The dispute shall be settled by the competent court in the defendant's country.
- Only a competent court can issue such an order.
- The lawyer argued that the local court was not the competent court for this matter.
competent to stand trial
1/kˈɑmpətɪnt tə stˈænd tɹˈaɪl/
fixed phrase
formal
mentally able to face trial
having a clear enough mind to understand what happens in court and to help your lawyer, so that a trial can legally continue.
דוגמאות
- Psychiatrists will evaluate whether the defendant is competent to stand trial.
- The judge ruled that she was not competent to stand trial at this time.
- If the accused is not competent to stand trial, the case may be delayed.
mentally competent
1/mˈɛntəli kˈɑmpətɪnt/
fixed phrase
able to make one’s own decisions
having a clear mind and enough understanding to make your own decisions and know what they mean.
דוגמאות
- The doctor confirmed that the patient is mentally competent to sign the consent form.
- Only a mentally competent adult can make this kind of legal agreement.
- They questioned whether he was still mentally competent to manage his finances.