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 Angela Bassett and Robin Wright also star in the fantasy film Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown continues to forge her path as Netflix’s leading lady, picking vehicles that neatly fit her talent and temperament. Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 8 Mar. 2024 Byrd also lent her talents to film soundtracks, including The Lion King 1 1/2, The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride and Sister Act II. Paul Grein, Billboard, 7 Mar. 2024 His start in show business came after winning a talent competition on Arthur Godfrey's CBS show, leading him to sign with King Records as a teenager. Shania Russell, EW.com, 7 Mar. 2024 The deal with Astral is just the latest in a long line of first-look talent arrangements at Fremantle, which recently signed a development deal with Krishnendu Majumdar and Richard Yee of Alice and Jack production house Me+You Productions. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2024 In an era where the quest for specialized talent intensifies, the spotlight on the distinct roles of tax strategists vs. CPAs has never been more relevant. Bryce Welker, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2024 In arriving on these shores, Ora said she was immediately blown away by the level of celebrity talent that signed up for the Fox series. Michael Schneider, Variety, 6 Mar. 2024 Maye’s prototypical size (6-4, 223), elite arm talent and ability as a runner are the combination of tools teams normally invest a top-five pick in. Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Mar. 2024 There’s the doomed romance between a fledgling novelist named Clifford Bradshaw and a young singer of supreme charisma (and mediocre talent) named Sally Bowles. Adrienne Miller, Vogue, 5 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 18 Mar. 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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