To meet the necessary conditions for something, such as a job, competition, or benefit; or to limit or soften a statement.
From Middle French *qualifier*, from Medieval Latin *qualificare* meaning 'to attribute a quality to', from Latin *qualis* ('of what kind') and *facere* ('to make'). It shifted from 'giving a quality' to 'being fit or eligible'.
When you 'qualify' for a job, you’ve been 'made of the right kind' for it—exactly what the Latin roots say. In speech, to 'qualify' a statement means to add conditions or limits, like putting safety rails around your words.
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