incompetency
incompetency Lexical Profile
incompetency Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The inability to do something successfully; a lack of the necessary skill, knowledge, or ability to perform a task.
"The audit revealed several glaring incompetencies in how the department managed its annual budget."
The legal status of lacking the mental capacity or statutory qualification required to manage one's own affairs, enter into contracts, or stand trial.
"The defense attorney filed a motion to delay the proceedings on the grounds of the defendant's mental incompetency."
Word Nuance & Usage
While 'incompetence' is the preferred standard form in general everyday contexts, 'incompetency' is frequently retained in formal legal and psychiatric contexts (as in 'mental incompetency') or when used as a countable noun to denote specific instances of failure.
• Rhymes for incompetency
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in the late 16th century from the adjective 'incompetent' and the noun suffix '-cy', ultimately deriving from Late Latin 'incompetentem' ('insufficient, unsuitable').