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; Compare waterfall ( def 3 ).agile development.

   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

Derived Forms

• agility, noun
• ˈagilely, adverb

Other Words From

• agile·ly adverb
• agile·ness noun
• un·agile adjective
• un·agile·ly adverb

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

By the time of the recording session, Brian had become quite agile with the flute and suggested adding it to the song.

From The Daily Beast

She has made few public appearances but when she has been photographed, she has looked agile and fit.

From The Daily Beast

His silhouettes, which so often make a woman appear aerodynamic and agile, this season left her looking grounded and sluggish.

From The Daily Beast

In order to remain at its forefront, we are adapting our organization to be more agile, creative and responsive.

From The Daily Beast

Gingrich is a strong debater, agile enough even to turn a question about past marital infidelity into an applause line.

From The Daily Beast

If a merry dance is produced by the agile bow, its sympathetic tones at once excite a corresponding feeling.

From Project Gutenberg

One was a little wizened man who seemed, for all his apparent age, extremely agile.

From Project Gutenberg

They bounded through the tall herbage "like grasshoppers" and were remarkably agile in climbing.

From Project Gutenberg

The vision finally resolved itself into human form and shape, as it sprang down to the rock with the agile bound of a young deer.

From Project Gutenberg

One of them which P. le Comte saw was at least four feet high, and very agile.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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