What is a facility? Definition and examples

A Facility may be a place where specific activities occur. Sports and military activities, for example, occur in sports and military facilities. Nuclear research scientists work in a nuclear research facility. We also use the term for buildings, equipment, and services that people provide for a particular purpose. Shopping facilities, for example, are places where we can buy things. Medical facilities may refer to medical equipment or a building.

If you have a facility for languages, it means you are good at languages. In banking, the term refers to an arrangement, such as an overdraft facility. An overdraft occurs when your checking account goes into negative numbers, i.e., below zero.

Production or manufacturing facility

A manufacturing facility means a factory. The term may refer to any place that makes things, or plants that generate electricity.

A flexible factory, for example, is a facility that can rapidly switch from making one thing to making something else. Flexible factories contrast with focused factories, which cannot easily switch.

EnOxfordDictionaries.com has the following definitions of the term:

“1. A place, amenity, or piece of equipment provided for a particular purpose. 2. A special feature of a service or machine, which offers the opportunity to do or benefit from something. 3. Absence of difficulty or effort (The pianist played with great facility.).”

Facility
A facility may be a place, an arrangement, or a talent.

Etymology of facility

Etymology is the study of the history and origin of words and how their meanings have evolved.

The word first appeared in the English language in the fifteenth century with the meaning “gentleness, lightness.” It came from the Middle French word facilité, which meant “easiness, ease.”

The Middle French word came from the Latin word Facilitatem (nominative facilitas), which meant “easiness, fluency, willingness, ease.”

In the 1510s, the word also meant “opportunity,” and by the 1530s “ease, quality of being easily done, aptitude.”

It was not until 1872 that the word also meant “place for doing something.”

Health Facility

Health facilities are places that provide healthcare. Small clinics, doctor’s offices, and urgent care centers, for example, are health facilities. So are large teaching hospitals.

According to Wikipedia, the quality and number of health facilities in a region or country are common measures of its prosperity.

For-profit companies, not-for-profit organizations, individuals, and governments may own and operate health facilities. In the United Kingdom, for example, the government owns a greater proportion of them than in the United States.

In Australia and some other countries, their workload determines how much government funding they get.

Facility management

Facility management is a management discipline that focuses on the effective and efficient delivery of services for specific organizations. We also call it facilities management or FM. FM serves to ensure the integration of systems, people, processes, places, and technology.

Buildings, real estate property, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), for example, are facilities. So are IT-services, furniture, and grounds.

The European standard for facilities management defines FM as:

“The integration of processes within an organization to maintain and develop the agreed services which support and improve the effectiveness of its primary activities.”

Moreover, FM encompasses the management of environmental sustainability and safety within these spaces to promote a green and secure environment.

Compound phrases with ‘facility’

The term ‘facility management’ consists of two words – it is a compound phrase. It also contains the word ‘facility.’ A compound phrase may consist of 2, 3, or more words. Here are some two-word compound phrases with the term ‘facility’ in them:

  • Facility Layout

The arrangement of different aspects within a facility

For example: “The ‘facility layout’ was designed to optimize workflow and safety.”

Facility Usage

Refers to the way a facility is employed by users.

For example: “The community center tracks ‘facility usage’ to plan for future renovations.”

Facility Booking

The process of reserving a facility for use.

For example: “We need to manage the ‘facility booking’ schedule to avoid double bookings.”

  • Facility Access

The ability or permission to enter a facility.

For example: “After-hours ‘facility access’ requires a security code.”

  • Facility Upkeep

The maintenance and care of a facility.

For example: “Regular ‘facility upkeep’ is crucial to ensure a safe environment for all users.”

  • Facility Coordinator

A person responsible for managing a facility.

For example: “The ‘facility coordinator’ oversees event setups and breakdowns.”

‘Facility’ and its root word(s)

‘Facility’ is derived from the Latin word ‘facilitas,’ which means ‘easiness, readiness.’ ‘Facilitas’ is derived from the Latin word ‘Facilis,’ which means ‘easy.’

From the Latin words ‘facilitas’ and ‘facilis’ we get the following English words:

  • Faculty (noun)

A natural ability or power; a division within a university.

For example: “She has a remarkable faculty for learning languages.”

  • Facility (noun)

A place where a particular activity happens; ease in doing something.

For example: “The new sports facility includes a swimming pool and a gym.”

  • Facilitation (noun)

The act or process of making something easier or more achievable.

For example: “The teacher’s facilitation of group projects fostered a collaborative environment in the classroom.”

  • Facilitate (verb)

To make an action or process easier.

For example: “The moderator will facilitate the discussion to ensure everyone’s opinions are heard.”

  • Difficult (adjective)

Not easy; requiring effort or skill to do or understand.

For example: “The difficult math problem took hours to solve.”

  • Facile (adjective)

Achieved with little effort; often oversimplified.

For example: “His facile victory in the chess match surprised everyone.”

Video – What is a Facility?

This video, from our YouTube partner channel – Marketing Business Network – explains what a ‘Facility’ is using simple and easy-to-understand language and examples.