aptitude

From Middle French aptitude, from Medieval Latin aptitudo, from Latin aptus (“apt, fit”). By surface analysis, apt +‎ -itude. Doublet of attitude.

• (Received Pronunciation)
  • (without the yod-coalescence) IPA^(key): /ˈæptɪˌtjuːd/, [ˈæptʰɪˌtʰjʊu̯d]

    • Audio (UK):

      (file)

  • (yod-coalescence) IPA^(key): /ˈæptɪˌtjuːd/, [ˈæptʰɪˌt͡ʃʊu̯d]
• (General American)
  • (yod-dropping) IPA^(key): /ˈæptɪˌtjuːd/, [ˈæptʰɪˌtʰʊu̯d]
• Hyphenation: ap‧ti‧tude

aptitude (countable and uncountable, plural aptitudes)

1. A natural ability to acquire knowledge or skill.

   Synonyms: talent, knack; see also Thesaurus:skill

   Antonym: ineptitude

   She showed an early aptitude for mathematics.

   The test measures a student’s aptitude for language learning.

2. The condition of being suitable.

   Synonyms: appropriateness, fitness, suitability

   Antonym: ineptitude

• “aptitude”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “aptitude”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.

Borrowed from Medieval Latin aptitūdō.

• IPA^(key): /ap.ti.tyd/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Audio (France (Vosges)):

  (file)

aptitude f (plural aptitudes)

1. aptitude

• apte

• “aptitude”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012