facility English · revision 4310

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=early 15th century|origins=la facilis}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /fəˈsɪl.ə.ti/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|frm|facilité|t=easiness, ease]],^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998)^(MWU 2024) or directly from [[la|facilitās|alt=facilitatem|t=easiness, fluency, willingness]],^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998) from [[m|la|facilis|t=easy to do]],^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021) from facere “to do”, from [[ine-pro|*dʰeh₁-|alt=*dhe-|t=to set, put]].^(Etymonline) It is related to [[facile]], [[facilitate]] and [[faculty]].^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ “Gentleness, lightness”, now obsolete: the early 15th century, first in a medical book translating Guy de Chauliac.^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002)^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its sense widened to “opportunity” in the 1510s,^(Etymonline) 1519 in the OED,^(OED 1989) and to “ease, the quality of being easily done” in the 1530s,^(Etymonline) 1531 in the OED and Merriam-Webster.^(OED 1989)^(MWU 2024) Aptitude or dexterity is from 1532,^(OED 1989) affability and courtesy from 1550,^(OED 1989) and readiness to be led or persuaded, pliancy, from 1533.^(OED 1989) ''Facilities'', favourable opportunities, is from 1809, after French.^(OED 1989) Something that makes an action easier, and then a place for doing something, is from the mid-19th century,^(Cresswell 2021) by 1872 in Etymonline.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * early 15th century – gentleness.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1519 – opportunity.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1531 – ease.^(OED 1989)^(MWU 2024)

+ * 1532 – aptitude.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1533 – pliancy.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1809 – ''facilities''.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1872 – a place for doing something.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A building, place or piece of equipment provided for a particular purpose: ''sports facilities''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Something that makes an action or process easier.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Ease or [[skill]] in doing something; [[aptitude]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Readiness to be persuaded; [[pliability]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # An arrangement made by a bank to lend money: ''an overdraft facility''.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[correctional facility]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[facilitate]]

+ * [[facile]]

+ * [[faculty]]

+ * [[difficulty]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}