incompetence

incompetence definition - medical

in·com·pe·tence (ĭn-kŏmˈpĭ-təns) or in·com·pe·ten·cy (-tən-sē)

noun
  1. The quality of being incompetent or incapable of performing a function, as the failure of the cardiac valves to close properly.
  2. The condition of being not legally qualified, as to stand trial.
  3. The inability to distinguish right from wrong or to manage one's affairs.

The American Heritage® Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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