adroit

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /əˈdrɔɪt/ UK /əˈdrɔɪt/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
clever and skillful, especially in handling situations

She gave an adroit answer that satisfied both sides.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · clever and skillful,... dexterous skillful deft nimble clever adept proficient

Opposites

clumsy awkward maladroit inept

Word family

Derived forms adroitlyadroitness

Related forms maladroit

Simplified etymology

Adroit was adopted into English in the mid-17th century from French, based on the phrase à droit, meaning “according to right” or “properly.”

Etymology

From French adroit ('skillful'), from the phrase à droit ('properly, rightly'), from à ('to') + droit ('right, straight'), from Latin directus ('straight').

à droit French directus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# adroit

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /əˈdrɔɪt/
**IPA (UK):** /əˈdrɔɪt/

## Meanings
1. clever and skillful, especially in handling situations

## Examples
- She gave an adroit answer that satisfied both sides.

## Synonyms
- dexterous
- skillful
- deft
- nimble
- clever
- adept
- proficient

## Antonyms
- clumsy
- awkward
- maladroit
- inept

## Derived Forms
- adroitly
- adroitness

## Related Forms
- maladroit

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: à droit
- Root: directus

## Etymology
From French adroit ('skillful'), from the phrase à droit ('properly, rightly'), from à ('to') + droit ('right, straight'), from Latin directus ('straight').

## AI Etymology
Adroit comes from French adroit ('skillful'), from the phrase à droit ('properly, rightly'), from à ('to') + droit ('right, straight'), from Latin directus ('straight'). The historical trail runs through French à droit and Latin directus. Morphologically, the surface form is analyzable into prefixes, suffixes, compounds, or participial endings that carry part of the history. In modern use it means clever and skillful, especially in handling situations. Derived formations include adroitly, adroitness; related forms include maladroit.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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