faculty

noun

Etymology: From Middle English faculte (“power, property”), from Old French faculte, from Latin facultas (“capability, ability, skill, abundance, plenty, stock, goods, property; in Medieval Latin also a body of teachers”), another form of facilitas (“easiness, facility, etc.”), from facul, another form of facilis (“easy, facile”); see facile. Doublet of facility.

1. The academic staff at schools, colleges, universities or not-for-profit research institutes, as opposed to the students or support staff.
2. A division of a university.

   “She transferred from the Faculty of Science to the Faculty of Medicine.”

3. An ability, power, or skill.

   “He lived until he reached the age of 90 with most of his faculties intact.”

   “What a piece of work is a man! how noble in reason! how infinite in faculty!”

4. An authority, power, or privilege conferred by a higher authority.

   “Unless he has bi-ritual faculties, the Latin priest must baptize and confirm the Eastern rite person, whether infant or adult, according to the liturgical books of the Latin church ( canon 846 , §2 ).”

5. A licence to make alterations to a church.
6. The members of a profession.