[ca.pac.i.ty] n, pl -ties [ME capacite, fr. MF capacite, fr. L capacitat-, capacitas, fr. capac-, capax] (15c) 1: legal competency or fitness
2. a: the potential or suitability for holding, storing, or accommodating b: the maximum amount or number that can be contained or accommodated "a jug with a one-gallon ~" "the auditorium was filled to ~" 3 a: an individual's mental or physical ability: aptitude, skill b: the faculty or potential for treating, experiencing, or appreciating "~ for love"
4: duty, position, role "will be happy to serve in any ~"
5: the facility or power to produce, perform, or deploy: capability "a plan to double the factory's ~"; also: maximum output "industries running at three-quarter ~"
6. a: capacitance b: the quantity of electricity that a battery can deliver under specified conditions
[2]capacity adj (1897): equaling maximum capacity "a ~ crowd"