To qualify or make fit for something; to equip or prepare someone for a role or position.
From Latin habilitatus (made fit), from habilis (fit, suitable). This word entered English in the 16th century from Latin and French legal and academic contexts.
In modern European universities, especially in Germany, 'habilitation' is still the process of qualifying to become a professor—it's actually more important than the PhD in some fields. The U.S. dropped this requirement, but it survives in places where academic credentials are taken very seriously.
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