versatile
Americanadjective
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capable of or adapted for turning easily from one to another of various tasks, fields of endeavor, etc..
It takes a truly versatile writer to manage two genres so well.
- Synonyms:
- all-around, adaptable
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having or capable of many uses.
A pocket knife is a versatile tool.
- Synonyms:
- handy, all-around, adaptable
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Botany. attached at or near the middle so as to swing freely, as an anther.
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Zoology. turning either forward or backward.
a versatile toe.
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variable or changeable, as in feeling, purpose, or policy.
His versatile moods made him a challenge to work with.
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Slang. vers.
adjective
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capable of or adapted for many different uses, skills, etc
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variable or changeable
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botany (of an anther) attached to the filament by a small area so that it moves freely in the wind
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zoology able to turn forwards and backwards
versatile antennae
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of versatile
First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin versātilis “revolving, many-sided,” from versāt(us) “turned repeatedly” (past participle of versāre “to turn repeatedly,” from vertere “to turn”; see verse) + -ilis -ile
Explanation
To describe a person or thing that can adapt to do many things or serve many functions, consider the adjective versatile. In E.B. White's classic children's book Charlotte's Web, Charlotte the spider tells Wilbur the pig that she is versatile. "What does 'versatile' mean — full of eggs?" Wilbur asks. "Certainly not," Charlotte replies. "'Versatile' means I can turn with ease from one thing to another." Charlotte knew her etymology, because the word reflects its Latin root, versatilis, "turning around; revolving." It eventually came to describe someone who is multi-talented: a singer-songwriter-actress-model would be a versatile figure in the entertainment world.
Vocabulary lists containing versatile
100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know
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List 2
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Essential Academic Vocabulary for Middle School Students, List 4
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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.
Versatile Washington Spirit defender Esme Morgan, who impressed at centre-back during Euro 2025, is also capable of playing on the right.
From BBC • Mar. 1, 2026
Versatile defender Mary Phillip only spent four seasons at Arsenal between 2004 and 2008, but in each one she helped the Gunners to league and FA Cup doubles.
From BBC • May 20, 2025
Brayden Burries, Eastvale Roosevelt, 6-5, Sr: Versatile, fierce, unselfish and a true leader.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 10, 2024
Versatile and resilient, the lobster survives by molting, shedding its skin and growing into a new, bigger shell.
From New York Times • May 20, 2024
Versatile, yet persevering, he varied his pursuits, but he never abandoned any.
From Great Men and Famous Women, Vol. 8 A series of pen and pencil sketches of the lives of more than 200 of the most prominent personages in History by Horne, Charles F. (Charles Francis)
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.
