agile

[aj-uhl, -ahyl]

adjective

1. quick and well-coordinated in movement; lithe.

   an agile leap.

   Synonyms: limber, supple
   Antonyms: awkward

2. active; lively.

   an agile person.

   Synonyms: spry, energetic, brisk, sprightly, nimble
   Antonyms: lethargic, sluggish

3. marked by an ability to think quickly; mentally acute or aware.

   She's 95 and still very agile.

4. noting or relating to a philosophy of product development and production intended to create and distribute batches of working products in a short period of time with subsequent batches planned in a cyclical schedule of improvement, production, and distribution: agile manufacturing;

   agile software programming;

   agile manufacturing;

   agile teams.

noun

1. Sometimes Agile an iterative and collaborative philosophy of rapid product development and production.

   Agile is being used by more and more companies outside of the tech sector.

agile

/ əˈdʒɪlɪtɪ, ˈædʒaɪl /

adjective

1. quick in movement; nimble

2. mentally quick or acute

Other Word Forms

• agilely adverb
• agileness noun
• unagile adjective
• unagilely adverb
• agility noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of agile¹

First recorded in 1570–80; earlier agill, from Middle French agile “nimble” and Latin agilis “easily moved, moving easily,” equivalent to ag- (base of agere “to do, drive”) + -ilis -ile

Word History and Origins

Origin of agile¹

C15: from Latin agilis, from agere to do, act

Example Sentences

There is not yet much coming with “Something Coming,” but his agile voice is a clean, clear tenor projectile expandable into operatic fortissimos and toned down into sweet, soft Broadway-esque whispers.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"We remain agile, integrated, and ready to project airpower at range."

Read more on BBC

In the email, he wrote the return-to-office directive was aimed at “building a stronger, more connected, and agile organization that can deliver on our goals and compete at the highest level.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"They can show off these flashy advanced platforms, but are they organisationally agile to use them in the way they want to?"

Read more on BBC

This is the new white nationalism: decentralized, modernized, more agile and disguised as self-improvement.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• athletic 
• buoyant 
• energetic 
• frisky 
• limber 
• lithe 
• lively 
• quick 
• rapid 
• sharp 
• spirited 
• sprightly 
• supple