capacity (capacities plural )
1 n-var Your capacityfor something is your ability to do it, or the amount of it that you are able to do.
oft with poss, N for n/-ing, N to-inf
Our capacity for giving care, love and attention is limited..., Her mental capacity and temperament are as remarkable as his., ...people's creative capacities.
2 n-uncount The capacity of something such as a factory, industry, or region is the quantity of things that it can produce or deliver with the equipment or resources that are available.
Bread factories are working at full capacity..., The region is valued for its coal and vast electricity-generating capacity...
3 n-count The capacity of a piece of equipment is its size or power, often measured in particular units.
...an aircraft with a bomb-carrying capacity of 454 kg.
4 n-var The capacity of a container is its volume, or the amount of liquid it can hold, measured in units such as litres or gallons.
...the fuel tanks, which had a capacity of 140 litres..., Grease 6 ramekin dishes of 150 ml (5-6 fl oz) capacity.
5 n-sing The capacity of a building, place, or vehicle is the number of people or things that it can hold. If a place is filled to capacity, it is as full as it can possibly be.
also no det, oft to N
Each stadium had a seating capacity of about 50,000..., Toronto hospital maternity wards were filled to capacity.
6 adj A capacity crowd or audience completely fills a theatre, sports stadium, or other place.
ADJ n
A capacity crowd of 76,000 people was at Wembley football stadium for the event.
7 n-count If you do something in a particular capacity, you do it as part of a particular job or duty, or because you are representing a particular organization or person.
WRITTEN with supp, in N, oft poss N as n
Ms Halliwell visited the Philippines in her capacity as a Special Representative of Unicef..., This article is written in a personal capacity...