Tăl'ent, n.

n. [Fr. talent, Pr. talen, talan, talant, It. & Pg. talento, Sp. talento, talante, Lat. talentum, from Gr. τάλαντον, a balance, any thing weighed, a definite weight, a talent, fr. τλάω, for τλῆναι, to bear, allied to Lat. tolerare, tollere, tulisse, lātum, for tlātum; Skr. tul, to bear, weigh.]

1Sense 1. Among the ancient Greeks, a weight and denomination of money equal to 60 minæ or 6000 drachmæ. The Attic talent, as a weight, was nearly equal to 57 lbs. avoirdupois; as a denomination of silver money, £243 15s. sterling, or about $1180.

2Sense 2. Among the Hebrews, a weight and denomination of money equivalent to 3000 shekels. As a weight, therefore, it was equal to about 93⅓ lbs. avoirdupois; as a denomination of silver, it has been variously estimated at from £340 to £396 sterling, or about $1645 to $1916.

3Sense 3. Intellectual ability, natural or acquired; mental endowments or capacity; skill in accomplishing; a special gift, particularly in business, art, or the like; faculty;—a metaphorical use of the word, probably originating in the Scripture parable of the talents. Matt. xxv.

He is chiefly to be considered in his three different talents, as a critic, a satirist, and a writer of odes. Dryden.

Like many other men of talent, Fielding was unfortunate. W. Scott.

His talents, his accomplishments, his graceful manners, made him generally popular. Macaulay.

4Sense 4. A claw or talon. [Corrupt, obs., and rare.] “Talents of the kites.” Beau. & Fl.

Synonyms—Genius; ability; faculty; gift; endowment. See GENIUS.