deft
Quick and neat in actionQuick and neat in action; skillful.
» He tried to conceal his ineptitude in a not-so-deft sleight of hand.
Meaning
1 sensesQuick and neat in action; skillful.
He assembled it in one fluid, deft motion.
geschickt
ло́вкийlóvkij, искусныйiskusnyj, мастерскийmasterskij
вправнийvpravnyj, спритнийsprytnyj
- skillful in physical movements; especially of the hands
Examples
1 sentencesHe tried to conceal his ineptitude in a not-so-deft sleight of hand.
Translations
8 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
By meaning 1
Origin
From Middle English defte, daft (“gentle”), from Old English dæfte (“mild, gentle, meek”),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”). 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”). Doublet of daft.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
defter, deftestSynonyms
2 synonymsWord family
5 related wordsLessons for this word
2 lessons- A2Comparatives — Because it has a comparative form
- A2Superlatives — Because it has a superlative form