dexterity
Americannoun
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skill or adroitness in using the hands or body; agility.
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mental adroitness or skill; cleverness.
noun
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physical, esp manual, skill or nimbleness
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mental skill or adroitness: cleverness
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rare the characteristic of being right-handed
Other Word Forms
- nondexterity noun
Etymology
Origin of dexterity
First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin dexteritās “readiness, skillfulness,” from dexter “skillful” + -itās -ity
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.
She believes that “high-skilled work” that requires the “motion and dexterity of our hands” is still essential for the likes of construction workers, electricians and child-care workers.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 12, 2026
Tesla is set to unveil Optimus Gen 3 in Q1 2026, emphasizing dexterity and manufacturability for factory deployment.
From Barron's • Mar. 3, 2026
He has spent his career working on robot hands and says human level dexterity is still some way off.
From BBC • Feb. 12, 2026
Maybe it’s the result of her lifelong comedy background; maybe it’s some leftover dexterity from her years playing the pollyanna icon Leslie Knope on “Parks and Recreation.”
From Salon • Jan. 16, 2026
He was a fast picker in the rows and a joyful instigator outside of them; he brought both kinds of dexterity to this night.
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
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.
