noun pl. faculties -·ties

1. Obsolete the power to do; ability to perform an action
2. any natural or specialized power of a living organism; sense the faculty of hearing, speech, etc.
3. power or ability to do some particular thing; special aptitude or skill a faculty for making friends

4. Etymology: ME < ML facultas, transl. of Aristotle's dynamis, branch of learning

   in Canada, a college or school of a university
5. ☆ all the teachers of a school, college, or university or of one of its departments or divisions
6. all the members of any of the learned professions
7. 1. a power or privilege conferred by authority
   2. R.C.Ch. authorization granted to a bishop, priest, etc. permitting the performance of certain acts or functions otherwise prohibited to him
8. Archaic what a person is trained to do
9. any of the powers of the mind, as will or reason

Etymology: ME & OFr faculte < L facultas < facilis: see facile