different between powerlessness vs disability

English

Etymology

From powerless +? -ness.

Noun

powerlessness (usually uncountable, plural powerlessnesses)

1. the state or character of being powerless; absence or lack of power

   Synonym: impotence

Translations

See also

• helplessness

References

• powerlessness in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• “powerlessness” in Roget's Thesaurus, T. Y. Crowell Co., 1911.

English

Etymology

Circa 1570 disable +? -ity.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /d?s??b?l?ti/

Noun

disability (usually uncountable, plural disabilities)

1. State of being disabled; deprivation or want of ability; absence of competent physical, intellectual, or moral power, means, fitness, and the like.
   • 1834-1874, George Bancroft, History of the United States, from the Discovery of the American Continent.

     Chatham refused to see him, pleading his disability.

2. A mental condition causing a difficulty with an intellectual task.

3. (disability theory) An inability imposed on a person by society's failure to accommodate their physical or mental differences from others, as opposed to impairment.

   Synonym: handicap

4. Want of legal qualification to do a thing; legal incapacity or incompetency.
5. (uncountable, informal) Regular payments received by a disabled person, usually from the state

Usage notes

• Disability and inability: Inability is an inherent want of power to perform the thing in question; disability arises from some deprivation or loss of the needed competency. One who becomes deranged is under a disability of holding his estate; and one who is made a judge, of deciding in his own case. A man may decline an office on account of his inability to discharge its duties; he may refuse to accept a trust or employment on account of some disability prevents him from entering into such engagements.

Synonyms

• disqualification
• impotence
• inability
• incapacity
• incompetency
• incompetence
• weakness

Antonyms

• ability
• capacity
• competence
• competency
• potence
• potential
• qualification
• strength

Related terms

• disable
• disabled
• disablism

Translations