dexterous

American  

[dek-struhs, -ster-uhs] / ˈdɛk strəs, -stər əs /

adjective

1. skillful or adroit in the use of the hands or body.

   Synonyms:

   quick, able, apt, expert, handy, nimble, deft

   Antonyms:

   clumsy

2. having mental adroitness or skill; clever.

   Synonyms:

   quick, able, apt, expert

   Antonyms:

   inept

3. done with skill or adroitness.

   Antonyms:

   awkward

4. right-handed.

---

dexterous British  

/ ˈdɛkstrəs /

adjective

1. possessing or done with dexterity

2. a rare word for right-handed

---

Related Words

Dexterous, adroit, deft, skillful, handy all imply facility and ease in performance. Dexterous and adroit both referred originally to right-handedness. Dexterous is still most often used to refer to manual or physical ability but can also refer to mental or social agility: a dexterous wood carver; dexterous management of a potentially embarrassing situation. Adroit implies cleverness or mental acuity, occasionally complex physical skill: an adroit politician; an adroit juggler. Deft suggests a light and assured touch, either physical or mental: deft manipulation of the sensitive controls, of public opinion. Skillful is the most general of these synonyms and can be substituted in most contexts for any of the foregoing, sacrificing only the overtones or connotations of each: a skillful performer. Handy applies mainly to physical skill, often achieved without formal training: handy with tools.

Other Word Forms

• dexterously
  adverb
• dexterousness
  noun
• nondexterous
  adjective
• nondexterously
  adverb
• nondexterousness
  noun
• undexterous
  adjective
• undexterously
  adverb
• undexterousness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of dexterous

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin dexter “right-hand,” also “favorable, right, skillful” + -ous

Explanation

If you're dexterous, you're good with your hands. To be dexterous is an essential trait for knitters and sleight-of-hand magicians. The adjective dexterous often refers to skill and agility with the hands, but it can mean any skillful or clever physical movement. A kid's dexterous ball handling and footwork can aid him on the soccer field. Dexterous can also be used to describe mental skill and agility — like the dexterous handling of an uncomfortable situation at work.

Example Sentences

"Self-driving cars weren't really proved to be as easy as anyone thought. And it's the same way with humanoid robots to some extent," the lead of NASA's Dexterous Robotics Team, Shaun Azimi, told Reuters.

From Reuters • Sep. 20, 2022

The drone’s design was inspired by wasps The design was inspired by nature, says Matthew Estrada, a PhD candidate at Stanford’s Biomimetics and Dexterous Manipulation Lab and co-author on the paper.

From The Verge • Oct. 24, 2018

Dexterous can also be used to describe mental skill and agility — like the dexterous handling of an uncomfortable situation at work.

From Time • Mar. 19, 2014

Another tug, the Dexterous, arrived from Falmouth to help; the radio began crackling out urgent messages : Keith to Carlsen: "A helicopter is standing by to take you off."

From Time Magazine Archive

Dexterous as the move was, it at once spread alarm.

From History of the English People, Volume VI Puritan England, 1642-1660; The Revolution, 1660-1683 by Green, John Richard