Having the skill, strength, or qualities needed to do something well.
It comes via French from Late Latin 'capabilis', from Latin 'capax', meaning 'able to hold much'. The original sense was about being roomy or able to contain, which shifted to being able to handle tasks or roles.
When you say someone is 'capable', you’re using a word that originally meant 'roomy'. It quietly suggests that capable people have enough inner space to handle difficulty, not that they were born perfect.
The label ‘capable’ has historically been withheld from women and marginalized people even when they demonstrated competence, while being assumed for men. It has been used to gatekeep roles and responsibilities.
Apply ‘capable’ consistently across genders and avoid backhanded uses (e.g., surprise that a woman is ‘so capable’ in a technical field).
["competent","skilled","able"]
Women have long been capable leaders, engineers, and thinkers, often performing at high levels despite systemic barriers and low expectations.
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