tolerance

 
Pronunciation: /ˈtɒl(ə)r(ə)ns/

noun

  • 1 [mass noun] the ability or willingness to tolerate the existence of opinions or behaviour that one dislikes or disagrees with: the tolerance of corruption an advocate of religious tolerance
  • 2the capacity to endure continued subjection to something such as a drug or environmental conditions without adverse reaction: the desert camel shows the greatest tolerance to dehydration [count noun]: various species of diatoms display different tolerances to acid
  • diminution in the body’s response to a drug after continued use: the body’s tolerance to Ecstasy builds up very quickly
  • 3an allowable amount of variation of a specified quantity, especially in the dimensions of a machine or part: 250 parts in his cars were made to tolerances of one thousandth of an inch

Origin:

late Middle English (denoting the action of bearing hardship, or the ability to bear pain and hardship): via Old French from Latin tolerantia, from tolerare (see tolerate)

Spelling help

Remember that tolerance is spelled with a single l; the ending is -ance.