talent

Etymology

From Middle English talent, from Old English talente, borrowed from the plural of Latin talentum (“a Grecian weight; a talent of money”), from Ancient Greek τάλαντον (tálanton, “balance, a particular weight, especially of gold, sum of money, a talent”). Compare Old High German talenta (“talent”). Later figurative senses are from Old French talent (“talent, will, inclination, desire”), derived from the biblical Parable of the Talents.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtælənt/
• (UK, also) IPA^(key): /ˈtalənt/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ælənt
• Hyphenation: tal‧ent

Noun

talent (plural talents)

1. A marked natural ability or skill. [from 15th c.]
   • 1936 Feb. 15, Ernest Hemingway, letter to Maxwell Perkins:

     Feel awfully about Scott... I always knew he couldn't think—he never could—but he had a marvelous talent and the thing is to use it—not whine in public.

   He has a real talent for drawing.

2. (historical) A unit of weight and money used in ancient times in Greece, the Roman Empire, and the Middle East, equal to about 30 to 60 kg in various times and places. [from 9th c.]
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew XXV:14-15:

     For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

3. (obsolete) A desire or inclination for something. [14th–16th c.]
4. (business, media, sports) People of talent, viewed collectively; a talented person. [from 19th c.]

   The director searched their talent pool to fill the new opening.

5. (slang) The men or (especially) women of a place or area, judged by their attractiveness. [from 20th c.]

   Not much talent in this bar tonight—let's hit the clubs.

   • 2011, Nic Venter, Wow! What a Life!, page 179:

     I went down to the beach front, of course, for that was the first thing that all Vaalies did: to look at the sea and to check the talent on the beach.

Anagrams

• antlet, latent, latten

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin talentum, from Ancient Greek τάλαντον (tálanton).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central) [təˈlen]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic) [təˈlent]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [taˈlent]

Noun

talent m (plural talents)

1. talent (Greek money)
2. talent (skill)

Noun

talent f (plural talents)

1. appetite, hunger

   Synonym: gana

Further reading

• “talent” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin talentum.

Noun

talent m inan

1. talent (unit of weight)
2. talent (actual or potential ability)

   Synonym: nadání n

Further reading

• “talent”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
• “talent”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989
• “talent”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech), 2008–2025

Etymology 1

Borrowed from German Talent (“talent”), from Latin talentum, from Ancient Greek τάλαντον (tálanton, “balance, a particular weight, especially of gold, sum of money, a talent”).

Etymology 2

From Latin talentum, from Ancient Greek τάλαντον (tálanton, “balance, a particular weight, especially of gold, sum of money, a talent”).

Etymology

From Middle Dutch talent, from Old French talent, from Latin talentum, from Ancient Greek τάλαντον (tálanton, “a particular weight, balance”), from Proto-Indo-European *tl̥h₂ent-, from *telh₂-.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /taːˈlɛnt/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: ta‧lent
• Rhymes: -ɛnt

Noun

talent n (plural talenten, diminutive talentje n)

1. talent (gift, quality, capability)
2. (historical) talent (ancient weight, value of money or coin)

Anagrams

• latten

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin talentum (“a Grecian weight; a talent of money”), itself a borrowing from Ancient Greek τάλαντον (tálanton, “balance; a particular weight, especially of gold; sum of money; a talent”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ta.lɑ̃/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

talent m (plural talents)

1. (historical, Ancient Rome, Ancient Greece) a talent (an obsolete unit of weight or money)
2. a talent, a gift, a knack

Further reading

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

Anagrams

• latent

Alternative forms

• taland, talande, talant, talente (all rare)

Etymology

From Old French talent and Old English talente, both from Latin talentum, from Ancient Greek τάλαντον (tálanton).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /taˈlɛnt/, /ˈtalɛnt/

Noun

talent (plural talentes or talens)

1. A talent (ancient unit of money or weight)
2. Will, inclination, or desire.
   • 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, chapter XX, in Le Morte Darthur, book X:

     But my hede said sir Palomydes I wille not ryde these thre dayes / […] / Truly said sir Lamorak / and I wille abyde here with you / And whan ye ryde / thenne wille I ryde / […] / therfor I pray you syr Dynadan abyde and ryde with vs / Feythfully said Dynadan I wylle not abyde for I haue suche a talent to see sir Tristram that I may not abyde longe from hym

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

3. A base inclination or urge (especially lustful or for food)
4. An emotion or feeling (especially positive or affectionate)
5. A purpose; a plan or idea serving one.
6. (rare) Capacity, character, or nature.
7. (rare) A talent (ability, skill).

Etymology

Borrowed from Medieval Latin talentum.

Noun

talent n (definite singular talentet, indefinite plural talent or talenter, definite plural talenta or talentene)

1. (a) talent

References

• “talent” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Etymology

From Medieval Latin talentum.

Noun

talent n (definite singular talentet, indefinite plural talent, definite plural talenta)

1. (a) talent

References

• “talent” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Alternative forms

• talant

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin talentum (“a Grecian weight; a talent of money”), from Ancient Greek τάλαντον (tálanton, “balance; a particular weight, especially of gold; sum of money; a talent”).

Noun

talent oblique singular, m (oblique plural talenz or talentz, nominative singular talenz or talentz, nominative plural talent)

1. desire; wish (to do something)

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin talentum, from Ancient Greek τάλαντον (tálanton), from Proto-Indo-European *tl̥h₂ent-, from *telh₂-

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈta.lɛnt/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -alɛnt
• Syllabification: ta‧lent

Noun

talent m inan (diminutive talencik)

1. talent, gift

   Antonym: antytalent

Noun

talent m animal

1. (historical) talent (ancient unit of weight and money)

Noun

talent m pers (diminutive talencik)

1. (metonymic) talented person

   Antonym: antytalent

Further reading

• talent in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• talent in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Etymology

Borrowed from French talent.

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

talent n (plural talente)

1. talent

Alternative forms

• tàlenat (Bosnia, Serbia)

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin talentum.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /tǎlent/
• Hyphenation: ta‧lent

Noun

tàlent m (Cyrillic spelling та̀лент)

1. (Croatia) talent

Alternative forms

• talen (colloquial)

Pronunciation

• (North Wales) IPA^(key): /ˈtalɛnt/
• (South Wales) IPA^(key): /ˈtaːlɛnt/, /ˈtalɛnt/
• Rhymes: -alɛnt

Etymology 1

talu +‎ -ent

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Latin talentum.

Mutation

Further reading

• R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “talent”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies