adept
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
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very proficient in something requiring skill or manual dexterity
-
skilful; expert
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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adeptnessnoun
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nonadeptadjective
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unadeptadjective
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adeptlyadverb
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nonadeptlyadverb
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unadeptlyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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); see ad-, apt
Explanation
Are you looking for another word to describe a person who is highly skilled, very proficient or expert at something? Try the adjective adept! In the days of Medieval Latin, an adeptus was a person who had learned the secrets of alchemy. Although an adept person today cannot turn lead into gold, the adjective is still high praise meaning "skilled, expert, highly proficient."
Vocabulary lists containing adept
100 SAT Words Beginning with "A"
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The Phantom Tollbooth
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Bright Ideas: Synonyms For "Smart"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But these days, French players are proving a little more adept at keeping out of trouble—even when trouble comes looking for them.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 9, 2026
And, as it turns out, Hawk and Pína might not have the whole roster, either; they’re just more adept at acting as though they do.
From Salon • Jul. 5, 2026
Maybe you like training interns and are adept at teaching people new skills; ask your manager if you could host some lunch-and-learn sessions.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 22, 2026
Declan Rice is one of the most adept ball strikers in European football – his corners have proved a major threat for Arsenal, certainly in the previous two seasons.
From BBC • Jun. 15, 2026
To work out his species theory he had to become adept at describing at least one creature in minute detail.
From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
