Advertisement

tolerance (n.)

early 15c., "endurance, fortitude" (in the face of pain, hardship, etc.), from Old French tolerance (14c.), from Latin tolerantia "a bearing, supporting, endurance," from tolerans, present participle of tolerare "to bear, endure, tolerate" (see toleration). Of individuals, with the sense "tendency to be free from bigotry or severity in judging other," from 1765. Meaning "allowable amount of variation" dates from 1868; and physiological sense of "ability to take large doses" first recorded 1875.

Others are reading

Advertisement
Definitions of tolerance from WordNet

tolerance (n.)
the power or capacity of an organism to tolerate unfavorable environmental conditions;
tolerance (n.)
a disposition to allow freedom of choice and behavior;
Synonyms: permissiveness
tolerance (n.)
the act of tolerating something;
tolerance (n.)
willingness to recognize and respect the beliefs or practices of others;
tolerance (n.)
a permissible difference; allowing some freedom to move within limits;
Synonyms: allowance / leeway / margin
From wordnet.princeton.edu