1. A cluster of related abilities, commitments, knowledge, and skills that enable a person (or an organization) to act effectively in a job or situation.
Competence indicates sufficiency of knowledge and skills that enable someone to act in a wide variety of situations. Because each level of responsibility has its own requirements, competence can occur in any period of a person's life or at any stage of his or her career.
2. Law: The capacity of a person to understand a situation and to act reasonably. Disputes regarding the competence of an individual are settled by a judge and not by a professional (such as a doctor or a psychiatrist) although the judge may seek expert opinion before delivering at a judgment.
Also called legal capacity.
Use 'competence' in a Sentence
Best practice is to retain an employee in one position long enough to show their competence before making any promotions to a higher position.
In order to become an educator, Albert had to display a certain level of competence within her field by taking a licensure examination and obtaining her degree.
The new engineer showed an astounding level of competence which made his superiors very pleased with having hired him at their location.
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Notable Quotable
A Tip Regarding Your Circle of Competence
"The most important thing in terms of your circle of competence is not how large the area of it is, but how well you've defined the perimeter."