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• handy
  handy

  adjective

  within easy reach; conveniently available; accessible.
• Handy
  Handy

  noun

  W(illiam) C(hristopher), 1873–1958, U.S. blues composer.

handy

¹ American  

[han-dee] / ˈhæn di /

adjective

handier, handiest

1. within easy reach; conveniently available; accessible.

   The aspirins are handy.

2. convenient or useful.

   A digital thermometer is a handy thing to have at home.

3. skillful with the hands; deft; dexterous.

   a handy person.

   Synonyms:

   versatile, all-around

4. easily maneuvered.

   a handy ship.

   Synonyms:

   yare, wieldy, manageable

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Handy ² American  

[han-dee] / ˈhæn di /

noun

1. W(illiam) C(hristopher), 1873–1958, U.S. blues composer.

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handy ¹ British  

/ ˈhændɪ /

adjective

1. conveniently or easily within reach

2. easy to manoeuvre, handle, or use

   a handy tool

3. skilful with one's hands

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Handy ² British  

/ ˈhændɪ /

noun

1. W ( illiam ) C ( hristopher ). 1873–1958, US blues musician and songwriter, esp noted for the song "St Louis Blues"

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handy Idioms  

1. see come in handy.

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Related Words

See dexterous.

Other Word Forms

• handiness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of handy

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English (in surnames); see hand, -y ¹

Explanation

Someone who's handy is skilled and clever, especially when it comes to making or fixing things. If you're handy in the kitchen, you're a good cook. A carpenter tends to be handy with a saw or a hammer, and if you're good at sewing, you're handy with a needle and thread. Another meaning of handy is "useful" or "convenient." Your laptop is handy because you use it for all kinds of things, and your smartphone is handy because you always keep it in your pocket — it's right there when you need it.

Example Sentences

This is where smart diplomacy, backed by a credible, proportionate threat of force, sometimes comes in handy.

From Slate • May 18, 2026

This enables colleagues to speak in the collective, which comes in handy when something goes wrong.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026

It’s also handy when you’ve run out of bread and don’t feel like going to the store but still want something warm and homemade.

From Salon • Apr. 28, 2026

But perhaps counter-intuitively, given younger people in Britain are most likely to use voice notes, Gyasi's mother, 53-year-old Buzz, said they were a handy way of putting off an overdue phone call.

From BBC • Apr. 25, 2026

“Uh,” I said, trying to think fast, pacing back and forth, “I don’t seem to have my information handy right now, maybe you could just—” Then I noticed the number in the upper right-hand corner.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

Related Words

• available
• convenient
• helpful
• manageable
• neat
• practicable
• practical
• profitable
• useful