In terms of dictionary definitions, the word s carry the following meanings:
Ability: The power, gift, or competence to do or to act physically, mentally, legally, financially, etc.: “Sachin is a cricketer with remarkable ability to play long innings.”
Capacity: Capacity is defined as:
1. Amount of room or space inside; largest amount that can be held by a container: “The car has petrol tank with a capacity of 20 Ltrs.”
2. Capable of learning or doing; power or fitness: “Children always have a great capacity for learning.”
The above are the dictionary definition for the two words but what is the actual difference between the two? Ability is what you can do presently, the skills and potential that you have right now. But capacity on the other hand represents the potential of something. For example, the human brain has the capacity to store information, so all people have the capacity to learn, but not all of us learn successfully to acquire the knowledge required for something. The one’s who do have the ability to do so.
