adept
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
-
very proficient in something requiring skill or manual dexterity
-
skilful; expert
noun
Other Word Forms
- adeptly adverb
- adeptness noun
- nonadept adjective
- nonadeptly adverb
- unadept adjective
- unadeptly adverb
Etymology
Origin of adept
First recorded in 1655–65; from Medieval Latin adeptus “one who has attained (the secret of transmuting metals),” noun use of Latin past participle of adipiscī “to attain to” ( ad- “toward” + -ep- combining form of ap- in aptus + -tus past participle suffix); see ad-, apt
Explanation
Are you looking for another word to describe a person who is highly skilled, very proficient or expert at something? Try the adjective adept! In the days of Medieval Latin, an adeptus was a person who had learned the secrets of alchemy. Although an adept person today cannot turn lead into gold, the adjective is still high praise meaning "skilled, expert, highly proficient."
Vocabulary lists containing adept
100 SAT Words Beginning with "A"
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The Phantom Tollbooth
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Bright Ideas: Synonyms For "Smart"
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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.
The losing streak began with a spinning top candle, which is adept at signaling potential trend changes.
From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026
The leagues will tell you that these changes are far less disruptive to younger viewers, who are much more adept at locating programming.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
Since the super-rich are adept at concealing their wealth, the actual number is likely much higher.
From Salon • Apr. 9, 2026
Russians are still defying the blockade, always adept at finding new ways to access our journalism.
From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026
The pilots became so adept with the tap code that they started inventing shortcuts, a kind of low-tech texting.
From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin
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.
