deft

[deft]

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adjective, deft·er, deft·est.

dexterous; nimble; skillful; clever: deft hands; a deft mechanic.

Origin of deft

1175–1225; Middle English; variant of daft

Related formsdeft·ly, adverbdeft·ness, nounun·deft, adjective

Synonym study

See dexterous.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for deftness

nimbleness, adeptness, adroitness, sleight, skill, swiftness

Examples from the Web for deftness

Contemporary Examples of deftness

Her writing on books and the arts has been impressive in its breadth, depth, and deftness.
Pamela Paul Talks Future of New York Times Book Review
Steve Kettmann
April 12, 2013
Suleiman's deftness and ability to win the trust of all parties have earned him high marks in Israel.
Omar Suleiman, Cairo's New Spymaster-in-Chief
John Barry
January 29, 2011
The deftness of Smith's drafts(wo)manship can often be overlooked in her E.T.-proportioned figures.
A Woman in Full
Chloe Malle
February 18, 2010

Historical Examples of deftness

Linda slid down the side of the canyon with the deftness of the expert.
Her Father's Daughter
Gene Stratton-Porter
The deftness with which he completed the task of laying bare the wound was notable.
The Slave Of The Lamp
Henry Seton Merriman
To-night Jim went into his kitchen and cooked his supper with all a woman's deftness.
Country Neighbors
Alice Brown
And Tamada at his work had all the deftness and some of the dignity of a surgeon.
A Man to His Mate
J. Allan Dunn
It would have just about as much delicacy and deftness and discriminations.
A Collection of Stories, Reviews and Essays
Willa Cather

British Dictionary definitions for deftness

deft

adjective

quick and neat in movement; nimble; dexterous

Derived Formsdeftly, adverbdeftness, noun

Word Origin for deft

C13 (in the sense: gentle): see daft

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for deftness

deft

adj.

Old English gedæfte "mild, gentle," differentiated in Middle English into daft (q.v.) and this word, via sense of "apt, skillful, adept." Cognate with Gothic gadaban "to be fit," Old Norse dafna "to grow strong," Dutch deftig "important, relevant."