A choir of talented singers.
- An example of talent is the ability to sing well.
- An example of talent is the movie stars used in a film.
- any of various large units of weight or of money (the value of a talent weight in gold, silver, etc.) used in ancient Greece, Rome, the Middle East, etc.
- any natural ability or power; natural endowment
- a superior, apparently natural ability in the arts or sciences or in the learning or doing of anything
- people collectively, or a person, with talent: to encourage young talent
Origin of talentMiddle English ; from Old English talente ; from Classical Latin talentum, a coin, origin, originally , unit of weight ; from Classical Greek talanton, a unit of money, weight, origin, originally , a balance ; from Indo-European base an unverified form tel-, to lift up, weigh, bear from source tolerate: senses 2-4 from the parable of the talents (Matt: 25:14-30)
- a. A marked innate ability, as for artistic accomplishment: has a rare talent for music.b. Natural endowment or ability of a superior quality: The play has a cast of immense talent.c. A person or group of people having such ability: The company makes good use of its talent.
- A variable unit of weight and money used in ancient Greece, Rome, and the Middle East.
Origin of talentMiddle English, inclination, disposition, from Old French, from Medieval Latin, from Latin, balance, sum of money, from Greek talanton; see tel&schwa;- in Indo-European roots. Sense 3, Middle English, from Old English talente, from Latin talenta, pl. of talentum, from Greek talanton.
- (historical) A unit of weight and money used in ancient times in Greece, the Roman Empire, and the Middle East. [from 9th c.]
- After Matthew 25, above: A marked natural ability or skill. [from 15th c.]
- He has the talent of touching his nose with his tongue.
- (business, media, sports) People of talent, viewed collectively; a talented person. [from 19th c.]
- The director searched their talent pool to fill the new opening.
- (slang) The men or (especially) women of a place or area, judged by their attractiveness. [from 20th c.]
- Not much talent in this bar tonight - let's hit the clubs.
Old English talente, from plural of Latin talentum (“a Grecian weight; a talent of money"), from Ancient Greek Ï„Î¬Î»Î±Î½Ï„Î¿Î½ (talanton, “balance, a particular weight, especially of gold, sum of money, a talent"). Later senses reinforced by Old French talent (“a talent, also will, inclination, desire").