adept

American  

[uh-dept, ad-ept, uh-dept] / əˈdɛpt, ˈæd ɛpt, əˈdɛpt /

adjective

1. very skilled; proficient; expert.

   an adept juggler.

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noun

1. a skilled or proficient person; expert.

adept British  

adjective

1. very proficient in something requiring skill or manual dexterity

2. skilful; expert

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noun

1. a person who is skilled or proficient in something

Other Word Forms

• adeptly adverb
• adeptness noun
• nonadept adjective
• nonadeptly adverb
• unadept adjective
• unadeptly adverb

Etymology

Origin of adept

First recorded in 1655–65; from Medieval Latin adeptus “one who has attained (the secret of transmuting metals),” noun use of Latin past participle of adipiscī “to attain to” ( ad- “toward” + -ep- combining form of ap- in aptus + -tus past participle suffix); ad-, apt

Example Sentences

Fabian Hinz, research fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said that Tehran has become adept in recent years at producing more simply designed missile launchers that are quicker to build.

From The Wall Street Journal

“I’ve become adept when I do my research into interpreting fragments.”

From Los Angeles Times

Izzard is so verbally adept that perhaps I expected too much from the soliloquies.

From Los Angeles Times

Some banks have been notably adept at timing repurchases.

From The Wall Street Journal

The coach is adept at juggling domestic and European football - he won the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022 after all.

From BBC

Related Words

• accomplished
• adroit
• capable
• deft
• proficient
• skilled
• skillful
• versed