qualify
UK[ˈkwɒlɪfaɪ]US[ˈkwɑːlɪfaɪ]
v
to have or achieve the necessary skills, knowledge, or ability to do something
v
to add a limitation or detail to a statement, making it less strong or general
v
to officially reach the standard necessary to enter a competition or to be given a particular status
Morpheme Breakdown
qual
ify
qual
of what kind
ify
to make
Etymology
the word 'qualify' originates from the medieval latin term 'qualificare', which itself is a compound of the latin root 'qualis' (meaning 'of what kind') and the verb-forming suffix '-ficare' (meaning 'to make'). the literal sense is 'to attribute a quality to' or 'to describe something's nature'. this core idea evolved through french influence into english, where it broadened to mean 'to endow with a necessary quality or attribute'. the modern meanings—from meeting a standard to adding a limitation—all stem from this fundamental concept of making or declaring something to be of a certain kind or standard.
Analysis
Structure: qual (of what kind) + ify (to make)
qual is from latin 'qualis', meaning 'of what kind' or 'such as'. ify is a verb-forming suffix from latin '-ificare', meaning 'to make'.
Examples
she hopes to qualify as a lawyer next year.
i should qualify my earlier praise by saying the film is not perfect.
the team failed to qualify for the final tournament.