com ‧ pe ‧ tent /ˈkɒmpətənt, ˈkɒmpɪtənt $ ˈkɑːm-/ BrE AmE adjective
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: Latin , present participle of competere 'to be suitable' ; ⇨ ↑ compete ]
1 . having enough skill or knowledge to do something to a satisfactory standard OPP incompetent :
A competent mechanic should be able to fix the problem.
very/highly/extremely competent
She’s a highly competent linguist.
competent to do something
I don’t feel competent to give an opinion at the moment.
He is the only party leader competent enough to govern this country.
2 . satisfactory but not especially good:
The workmen did a competent job.
3 . technical having normal mental abilities:
We believe the patient was not mentally competent.
A psychiatrist said McKibben was competent to stand trial.
4 . [not before noun] law having the legal power to deal with something in a court of law
competent to do something
This court is not competent to hear your case.
—competently adverb