adept
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
-
very proficient in something requiring skill or manual dexterity
-
skilful; expert
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
adeptnessnoun
-
nonadeptadjective
-
unadeptadjective
-
adeptlyadverb
-
nonadeptlyadverb
-
unadeptlyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of adept
First recorded in 1655–65; from Medieval Latin adeptus “one who has attained (the secret of transmuting metals),” noun use of Latin past participle of adipiscī “to attain to” ( ad- “toward” + -ep- combining form of ap- in aptus + -tus past participle suffix); see ad-, apt
Explanation
Are you looking for another word to describe a person who is highly skilled, very proficient or expert at something? Try the adjective adept! In the days of Medieval Latin, an adeptus was a person who had learned the secrets of alchemy. Although an adept person today cannot turn lead into gold, the adjective is still high praise meaning "skilled, expert, highly proficient."
Vocabulary lists containing adept
100 SAT Words Beginning with "A"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Phantom Tollbooth
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Bright Ideas: Synonyms For "Smart"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
It turns out that Dudamel is both adept at saying goodbye and just as good at not meaning it.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
He painted his first portrait at age 14 and was adept also in pastels.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
But some viruses are adept at changing their appearance – or mutating – so vaccines can quickly go out of date.
From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026
Though “Backrooms” and Parsons are adept at creating dread and building worlds, that same principle of complexity is rarely applied to the film’s characters.
From Salon • May 30, 2026
Tycho was, like his peers, a believer in astrology and became adept at casting horoscopes.
From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin
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.
