apt

¹

[ apt ]

adjective

1. inclined; disposed; given; prone:

   too apt to slander others.

   Synonyms: liable

2. likely:

   Am I apt to find him at home?

3. unusually intelligent; able to learn quickly and easily:

   an apt pupil.

   Synonyms: skillful, dexterous, adroit, handy, adaptable, bright, clever

4. suited to the purpose or occasion; appropriate:

   an apt metaphor; a few apt remarks on world peace.

   Synonyms: felicitous, germane, meet, fitting

5. Archaic. prepared; ready; willing.

apt.

²

abbreviation for

, plural apts.

1. apartment ( def 1 ).

apt

¹

/ æpt /

adjective

1. suitable for the circumstance or purpose; appropriate
2. postpositive; foll by an infinitive having a tendency (to behave as specified)
3. having the ability to learn and understand easily; clever (esp in the phrase an apt pupil )

apt.

²

abbreviation for

1. apartment

Usage Note

Some usage guides insist that apt followed by an infinitive can or should be used to mean only “inclined, disposed”: He is apt to ignore matters he regards as unimportant. In fact, apt is standard in all varieties of speech and writing as a synonym for likely in contexts that suggest probability without any implication of a natural disposition toward: Hostilities are apt to break out if the confrontation is not soon resolved. She is apt to arrive almost any time now. liable, likely.

Derived Forms

• ˈaptness, noun
• ˈaptly, adverb

Other Words From

• apt·ly adverb
• apt·ness noun
• o·ver·apt adjective
• o·ver·apt·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of apt¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin aptus “fastened, fitted, fitting, appropriate,” equivalent to ap(ere) “fasten, attach” + -tus past participle suffix

Origin of apt²

First recorded in 1900–05

Word History and Origins

Origin of apt¹

C14: from Latin aptus fitting, suitable, from apere to fasten

Synonym Study

Apt, pertinent, relevant all refer to something suitable or fitting. Apt means to the point and particularly appropriate: an apt comment. Pertinent means pertaining to the matter in hand: a pertinent remark. Relevant means directly related to and important to the subject: a relevant opinion.

Example Sentences

But this year, there was one sound that students were especially scared of: "APT".

From BBC

As a group, these musicians were more apt to die at younger ages than hundreds of thousands of other notable deceased people who merited space on Wikipedia, the pair found.

From Los Angeles Times

While every honest observer knows this, the baseline neutrality that undergirds fact-checking prevents the fact-checkers from saying so; moreover, it requires them to pretend not just that each party is equally apt to lie to voters, but that the scope, intent, and implications of these lies are somehow functionally equivalent.

From Slate

A life-sized Taylor Swift cake has had to be withdrawn from a major cake show after its hands detached in transit - somewhat apt for the singer of Shake it Off.

From BBC

APT rules are in place to ensure sponsorship deals with companies linked to clubs' owners represent fair market value.

From BBC

Related Words

• appropriate
• apropos
• correct
• felicitous
• fitting
• happy
• relevant
• suitable