deft

Meaning

Quick and neat in action; skillful.

Synonyms

dexterous

adroit

skillful

dextrous

skilful

skilled

quick

proficient

nimble

agile

handy

prompt

clever

adept

efficient

masterful

able

spry

swift

rapid

energetic

great at

cunning

practiced

smart

slick

skeely

accomplished

active

artful

astute

canny

capable

competent

consummate

crafty

daedal

expert

fast

hot

🥵

ingenious

lively

manipulator

neat

practised

sharp

shrewd

slicker

smooth

sure-handed

Translations

hábil

adroit

geschickt

abile

hábil

habile

επιδέξιος

diestro

gewandt

destro

ágil

επιτήδειος

becerikli

Pronounced as (IPA)

/dɛft/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: defte

Inherited from Old English: dæfte

Cognate with Gothic: 𐌲𐌰𐌳𐍉𐍆𐍃

Cognate with Western Frisian: deftich

Cognate with Dutch: deftig

Cognate with German: deftig

Cognate with Russian: добро

Cognate with Latin: faber

In summary

From Middle English defte, daft (“gentle”), from Old English dæfte (“mild, gentle, meek”), from Proto-West Germanic *daftī (“fitting, suitable”), derived from *dabaną (“to be suitable”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰh₂ebʰ- (“fitting, fit together”). Near cognates include Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌳𐍉𐍆𐍃 (gadōfs, “suitable”), West Frisian deftich (“distinguished”), Dutch deftig (“distinguished”), German deftig (“coarse”). Further cognates include Russian добро (dobro, “wealth, good”) and Latin faber (“craftsman; skillful”).