adept

[ adjective uh-dept; noun ad-ept, uh-dept ]

adjective

1. very skilled; proficient; expert:

   an adept juggler.

noun

1. a skilled or proficient person; expert.

adept

adjective

1. very proficient in something requiring skill or manual dexterity
2. skilful; expert

noun

1. a person who is skilled or proficient in something

Derived Forms

• aˈdeptly, adverb
• aˈdeptness, noun

Other Words From

• a·dept·ly adverb
• a·dept·ness noun
• non·a·dept adjective
• non·a·dept·ly adverb
• un·a·dept adjective
• un·a·dept·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of adept¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of adept¹

C17: from Medieval Latin adeptus, from Latin adipiscī to attain, from ad- to + apiscī to attain

Example Sentences

Its CEO is adept at drawing attention to himself and his companies.

From Fortune

That drove her to become adept at calculating the influence of gluons, which help keep protons intact.

From Science News

New England has been particularly adept at taking away Mahomes’s favorite receivers, which shouldn’t surprise anyone familiar with a Belichick game plan.

From FiveThirtyEight

As sports betting becomes more and more reliant on technology, you have to wonder what sort of an edge there is to be gained by bettors who are more analytically adept.

From Freakonomics

Adebayo is also useful as a traditional big man who rolls to the rim, and Robinson is more than adept at spacing the offense.

From FiveThirtyEight

Dawkins is an adept cultural fire-conductor; the title of his bestselling book The God Delusion gives a clear indicator why.

From The Daily Beast

In critical ways, Russia remains technologically adept, but by its current behavior Russia is also revealed as morally destitute.

From The Daily Beast

As a former law professor at several elite law schools, he is adept at discussing high constitutional theory.

From The Daily Beast

Through the years he became just as adept at politics as he was on horseback.

From The Daily Beast

Two weeks later, a different worker wrote that he was “getting more adept at caring for the child.”

From The Daily Beast

He was skilful in out-door railway work, and an adept in managing trains and traffic.

From Project Gutenberg

In the conduct of his foreign relations, the Bruce proved himself an adept in diplomacy.

From Project Gutenberg

The cebus did not wait to be shown how to do things, but was an adept in devising ways to do them himself.

From Project Gutenberg

I could not feel comfortable in the seats and lounges, as they were very low, requiring an oriental squat at which I am not adept.

From Project Gutenberg

If Guy Oscard was no great adept at wordy warfare, he was at all events strong in his reception of punishment.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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