/fak"euhl tee/ , n. , pl. faculties .
1. an ability, natural or acquired, for a particular kind of action: a faculty for making friends easily.
2. one of the powers of the mind, as memory, reason, or speech: Though very sick, he is in full possession of all his faculties.
3. an inherent capability of the body: the faculties of sight and hearing.
4. exceptional ability or aptitude: a president with a faculty for management.
5. Educ.
a. the entire teaching and administrative force of a university, college, or school.
b. one of the departments of learning, as theology, medicine, or law, in a university.
c. the teaching body, sometimes with the students, in any of these departments.
6. the members of a learned profession: the medical faculty.
7. a power or privilege conferred by the state, a superior, etc.: The police were given the faculty to search the building.
8. Eccles. a dispensation, license, or authorization.
[ 1350-1400; ME faculte facultat- (s. of facultas ) ability, power, equiv. to facil ( is ) easy (see FACILE) + -tat- -TY 2 ; cf. FACILITY ]
Syn. 1. capacity, aptitude, knack, potential, skill. See ability .