Keyword Abilities
Some cards have abilities that are not fully explained on the card. These are known as "keyword" abilities, and consist of a word or phrase whose meaning is defined by the rules. Keyword abilities are usually given reminder text in the set in which they are introduced. There are over forty such abilities. In most cases, multiple instances of the same keyword on an object have no additional effect.
Some of the most notable keyword abilities include flying (a creature can't be blocked except by other creatures with flying or reach), haste (a creature can attack and tap on the first turn it is summoned), and protection (the card can't be damaged, enchanted, blocked, or targeted by cards bearing the indicated attribute).
Read more about this topic: Magic: The Gathering Rules
Famous quotes containing the word abilities:
“Your friends praise your abilities to the skies, submit to you in argument, and seem to have the greatest deference for you; but, though they may ask it, you never find them following your advice upon their own affairs; nor allowing you to manage your own, without thinking that you should follow theirs. Thus, in fact, they all think themselves wiser than you, whatever they may say.”
—William Lamb Melbourne, 2nd Viscount (1779–1848)