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.
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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
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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.
Nearly 15 years after discovering MXenes, a versatile class of two-dimensional conductive nanomaterials, researchers at Drexel University have now developed a way to create a one-dimensional version known as MXene nanoscrolls.
From Science Daily • Mar. 31, 2026
Beyond these results, the work points to glass-based integrated photonics as a durable and versatile platform for future quantum technologies.
From Science Daily • Mar. 24, 2026
He went from being uncomfortable as a freshman to being versatile, confident and a leader as a senior.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 22, 2026
When Tesla announced its plans for the Semi nearly a decade ago, it was seen as a chance to change heavy-duty trucking just as its affordable and versatile Model 3 helped popularize electric cars.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026
All the components a woman needed and wanted to put together a stylish and versatile wardrobe.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
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.
