adroit

[ uh-droit ]
See synonyms for: adroitadroitlyadroitness on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. expert or nimble in the use of the hands or body.

  2. cleverly skillful, resourceful, or ingenious: an adroit debater.

Origin of adroit

1
First recorded in 1645–55; from French, Old French: “elegant, skillful,” equivalent to a- a-5 + droit, dreit “straight, just, correct,” from Latin dīrēctus; see direct

synonym study For adroit

1, 2. See dexterous.

Other words for adroit

Opposites for adroit

Other words from adroit

  • a·droit·ly, adverb
  • a·droit·ness, noun
  • un·a·droit, adjective

Words that may be confused with adroit

Words Nearby adroit

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use adroit in a sentence

  • Sometimes, to be unmemorable is to be adroit; and tonight, Obama was deeply unmemorable—and very adroit.

    A Triumphantly Unmemorable Address | Tunku Varadarajan | January 25, 2011 | THE DAILY BEAST
  • In Petraeus, Obama also gets an Afghan commander as adroit at handling the press as McChrystal was suicidal.

    Petraeus, a Master of Spin | Ellen Knickmeyer | June 23, 2010 | THE DAILY BEAST
  • The countess-dowager was not very adroit at spelling and composition, whether French or English, as you observe.

    Elster's Folly | Mrs. Henry Wood
  • The adroit Mohammedan knew better than to trust his sahib and himself too long on the highway.

    The Red Year | Louis Tracy
  • One or the other was always ready with an adroit question which brought out the whole story.

    Motor Matt's "Century" Run | Stanley R. Matthews
  • There was no applause as the little man outwitted his follower by an adroit dodge under the ticket wagon.

    David Lannarck, Midget | George S. Harney
  • Priests the most adroit have overcharged religion with ceremonies, and practices, and mysteries.

    Letters To Eugenia | Paul Henri Thiry Holbach

British Dictionary definitions for adroit

adroit

/ (əˈdrɔɪt) /


adjective
  1. skilful or dexterous

  2. quick in thought or reaction

Origin of adroit

1
C17: from French à droit according to right, rightly

Derived forms of adroit

  • adroitly, adverb
  • adroitness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012