incompetent

[ in-kom-pi-tuhnt ]
/ ɪnˈkɒm pɪ tənt /

adjective

not competent; lacking qualification or ability; incapable: an incompetent candidate.
characterized by or showing incompetence: His incompetent acting ruined the play.
Law.
  1. being unable or legally unqualified to perform specified acts or to be held legally responsible for such acts.
  2. inadmissible, as evidence.

noun

an incompetent person; a mentally deficient person.
Law. a person lacking power to act with legal effectiveness.

Origin of incompetent

1590–1600; < Late Latin incompetent- (stem of incompetēns) unsuitable. See in-3, competent

OTHER WORDS FROM incompetent

in·com·pe·tent·ly, adverb

Example sentences from the Web for incompetent

British Dictionary definitions for incompetent

incompetent
/ (ɪnˈkɒmpɪtənt) /

adjective

not possessing the necessary ability, skill, etc to do or carry out a task; incapable
marked by lack of ability, skill, etc
law not legally qualified an incompetent witness
(of rock strata, folds, etc) yielding readily to pressure so as to undergo structural deformation

noun

an incompetent person

Derived forms of incompetent

incompetence or incompetency, noun incompetently, adverb

Medical definitions for incompetent

incompetent
[ ĭn-kŏmpĭ-tənt ]

adj.

Inadequate for or unsuited to a particular purpose or application.
Incapable of proper functioning.
Not qualified in legal terms.