Definitions for: Talent


[n] natural qualities or talents
[n] a person who possesses unusual innate ability in some field or activity



Webster (1913) Definition: Tal"ent, n. [F., fr. L. talentum a talent (in sense 1),
Gr. ? a balance, anything weighed, a definite weight, a
talent; akin to ? to bear, endure, ?, L. tolerare, tollere,
to lift up, sustain, endure. See Thole, v. t., Tolerate.]
1. Among the ancient Greeks, a weight and a denomination of
money equal to 60 min[ae] or 6,000 drachm[ae]. The Attic
talent, as a weight, was about 57 lbs. avoirdupois; as a
denomination of silver money, its value was [pounds]243
15s. sterling, or about $1,180.

Rowing vessel whose burden does not exceed five
hundred talents. --Jowett
(Thucid.).

2. Among the Hebrews, a weight and denomination of money. For
silver it was equivalent to 3,000 shekels, and in weight
was equal to about 93? lbs. avoirdupois; as a denomination
of silver, it has been variously estimated at from
[pounds]340 to [pounds]396 sterling, or about $1,645 to
$1,916. For gold it was equal to 10,000 gold shekels.

3. Inclination; will; disposition; desire. [Obs.]

They rather counseled you to your talent than to
your profit. --Chaucer.

4. Intellectual ability, natural or acquired; mental
endowment or capacity; skill in accomplishing; a special
gift, particularly in business, art, or the like; faculty;
a use of the word probably originating in the Scripture
parable of the talents (--Matt. xxv. 14-30).

He is chiefly to be considered in his three
different talents, as a critic, a satirist, and a
writer of odes. --Dryden.

His talents, his accomplishments, his graceful
manners, made him generally popular. --Macaulay.

Syn: Ability; faculty; gift; endowment. See Genius.

Synonyms: endowment, gift, natural endowment

See Also: bent, expert, flair, genius, hang, knack, natural ability, raw talent

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