proficient

[ pruh-fish-uhnt ]

adjective

1. well-advanced or competent in any art, science, or subject; skilled:

   a proficient swimmer.

   Synonyms: accomplished, experienced, competent, adept, finished, able

   Antonyms: inept, unskilled

noun

1. an expert.

proficient

/ prəˈfɪʃənt /

adjective

1. having great facility (in an art, occupation, etc); skilled

noun

1. an archaic word for an expert

Derived Forms

• proˈficiency, noun
• proˈficiently, adverb

Other Words From

• pro·fi·cient·ly adverb
• pro·fi·cient·ness noun
• o·ver·pro·fi·cient adjective
• un·der·pro·fi·cient adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of proficient¹

First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin prōficient-, stem of prōficiēns, present participle of prōficere “to advance, make progress,” equivalent to prō- pro- ¹ + -ficere, combining form of facere “to make, do”; do, efficient

Word History and Origins

Origin of proficient¹

C16: from Latin prōficere to make progress, from pro- ¹+ facere to make

Example Sentences

Ani is Uzbek American and knows the language from her grandmother, but she’s barely proficient.

From Los Angeles Times

That means that across both groups, more than 85% of students are not proficient in math and English.

From Los Angeles Times

Still, nearly 4 in 5 Black students are not proficient in math.

From Los Angeles Times

But spring 2024 scores remain low for 11th grade students, who will be graduating this year: 49.6% of students are proficient in English and 21.4% in math, rates at least 6 percentage points below this year’s 11th-grade state scores.

From Los Angeles Times

But even with the upturns among these students, their scores were sobering: 36.8% were proficient in English, 25% in math and 20.7% in science.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• accomplished
• adept
• apt
• capable
• competent
• conversant
• efficient
• experienced
• gifted
• qualified
• skillful
• talented
• trained
• versed