noun
faculty
FAK-uhl-tee
noun
1
The teaching staff of a school, college or university.
"The faculty voted to change the exam schedule."
"She joined the faculty as a history lecturer."
2
A specific department or division of a university.
"He studies medicine in the Faculty of Health Sciences."
3
A natural ability or power, especially mental or physical.
"Even in his nineties he kept all his mental faculties."
"The faculty of speech develops rapidly in early childhood."
How to Use Faculty
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the teachers at a school, a branch of a university, or a natural mental/physical ability.
Common mistake
In American English "faculty" usually means the teaching staff collectively; in British English it more often refers to a university department.
UK vs US
US: faculty = teaching staff. UK: faculty = a school/division within a university (e.g. "Faculty of Arts").
Common pairings
faculty member
mental faculties
faculty of medicine
Word Forms
faculties plural
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The _____ voted to change the exam schedule.
Etymology
From Old French faculte, from Latin facultas ("ability, skill"), related to facilis, "easy" — the same root that gives us "facility."