INCAPAC'ITY, noun [in and capacity.] Want of capacity, intellectual power, or the power of receiving, containing or understanding; applied to the mind, and it may be natural or casual. There is a natural incapacity in children to comprehend difficult propositions in logic or metaphysics, and a natural incapacity in men to comprehend the nature of spiritual beings. The defect of understanding proceeding from intoxication, or from an injury done to the brain, is a casual incapacity 1. Want of qualification or legal requisites; inability; as the incapacity of minors to make binding contracts. 2. Disqualification; disability by deprivation of power; as the incapacity of a convict to give testimony in a court of law.
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI