masterly

American  

[mas-ter-lee, mah-ster-] / ˈmæs tər li, ˈmɑ stər- /

adjective

1. like or befitting a master, as in skill or art; worthy of a a master; very skillful.

   a masterly presentation of the budget.

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adverb

1. in a masterly manner.

masterly British  

/ ˈmɑːstəlɪ /

adjective

1. of the skill befitting a master

   a masterly performance

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Commonly Confused

See masterful.

Other Word Forms

• masterliness noun

Etymology

Origin of masterly

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English; master, -ly

Example Sentences

Like the raconteur at the table, Mr. Winchester is masterly but almost too fluent.

From The Wall Street Journal

Netherlandish painting is renowned, in part, for its masterly representation of fine fabrics, ornate glass and other sumptuous materials.

From The Wall Street Journal

Weaver masterly balances both sides of the equation.

From Los Angeles Times

The 20 bills of the three-week Paul Taylor Dance Company season at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater, through Sunday, include 12 dances by Taylor, the masterly modern-dance choreographer who died in 2018.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Mask & Bone” by Jamesie Fournier is a slightly overwritten but otherwise masterly unmasking of ordinary family life that reveals ancient secrets and generational trauma of the supernatural kind.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• excellent
• masterful
• skillful
• superb