versatile
Americanadjective
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capable of or adapted for turning easily from one to another of various tasks, fields of endeavor, etc..
It takes a truly versatile writer to manage two genres so well.
- Synonyms:
- all-around, adaptable
-
having or capable of many uses.
A pocket knife is a versatile tool.
- Synonyms:
- handy, all-around, adaptable
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Botany. attached at or near the middle so as to swing freely, as an anther.
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Zoology. turning either forward or backward.
a versatile toe.
-
variable or changeable, as in feeling, purpose, or policy.
His versatile moods made him a challenge to work with.
-
Slang. vers.
adjective
-
capable of or adapted for many different uses, skills, etc
-
variable or changeable
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botany (of an anther) attached to the filament by a small area so that it moves freely in the wind
-
zoology able to turn forwards and backwards
versatile antennae
Other Word Forms
- unversatile adjective
- unversatilely adverb
- unversatileness noun
- versatilely adverb
- versatileness noun
- versatility noun
Etymology
Origin of versatile
First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin versātilis “revolving, many-sided,” from versāt(us) “turned repeatedly” (past participle of versāre “to turn repeatedly,” from vertere “to turn”; verse ) + -ilis -ile
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.
These methods produced small flakes and tools that supported a wide range of activities, pointing to complex and versatile behavior.
From Science Daily
The Canadian actor was a versatile performer whose decades-long career took her from a comedy troupe to box office and television hits.
From Los Angeles Times
The versatile World Series star expressed regret that he cannot play in an Instagram story that included a photo of himself with the Venezuelan flag draped over his shoulders.
From Los Angeles Times
“Escape at Dannemora” executive producer Stiller praised him as “brilliant” and Reese Witherspoon called her “Inherent Vice” co-star an “incredibly gifted, versatile actor” and a gentleman.
From Los Angeles Times
Fanning — who scored her first Oscar nomination this week for a small but critical role in “Sentimental Value” — is the kind of movie star with an almost vintage appeal: versatile, surprising and compulsively watchable.
From Salon
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.
