versatile
Americanadjective
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capable of or adapted for turning easily from one to another of various tasks, fields of endeavor, etc..
It takes a truly versatile writer to manage two genres so well.
- Synonyms:
- all-around, adaptable
-
having or capable of many uses.
A pocket knife is a versatile tool.
- Synonyms:
- handy, all-around, adaptable
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Botany. attached at or near the middle so as to swing freely, as an anther.
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Zoology. turning either forward or backward.
a versatile toe.
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variable or changeable, as in feeling, purpose, or policy.
His versatile moods made him a challenge to work with.
-
Slang. vers.
adjective
-
capable of or adapted for many different uses, skills, etc
-
variable or changeable
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botany (of an anther) attached to the filament by a small area so that it moves freely in the wind
-
zoology able to turn forwards and backwards
versatile antennae
Other Word Forms
- unversatile adjective
- unversatilely adverb
- unversatileness noun
- versatilely adverb
- versatileness noun
- versatility noun
Etymology
Origin of versatile
First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin versātilis “revolving, many-sided,” from versāt(us) “turned repeatedly” (past participle of versāre “to turn repeatedly,” from vertere “to turn”; verse ) + -ilis -ile
Explanation
To describe a person or thing that can adapt to do many things or serve many functions, consider the adjective versatile. In E.B. White's classic children's book Charlotte's Web, Charlotte the spider tells Wilbur the pig that she is versatile. "What does 'versatile' mean — full of eggs?" Wilbur asks. "Certainly not," Charlotte replies. "'Versatile' means I can turn with ease from one thing to another." Charlotte knew her etymology, because the word reflects its Latin root, versatilis, "turning around; revolving." It eventually came to describe someone who is multi-talented: a singer-songwriter-actress-model would be a versatile figure in the entertainment world.
Vocabulary lists containing versatile
100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know
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List 2
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Essential Academic Vocabulary for Middle School Students, List 4
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Another versatile player, Pissott was a part of a dynamic Vanderbilt offense this season.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026
Clarke knows exactly what those two offer, and with first-choice Aaron Hickey still out injured, could there be a start for versatile Bristol City defender Ross McCrorie?
From BBC • Mar. 29, 2026
Beyond these results, the work points to glass-based integrated photonics as a durable and versatile platform for future quantum technologies.
From Science Daily • Mar. 24, 2026
A CoreWeave spokeswoman disputed this characterization and said that the company “operates independently and our partner decisions are driven by customer demand and technical performance for the most versatile GPU technology available.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026
Fifty Neanderthals cooperating in traditional and static patterns were no match for 500 versatile and innovative Sapiens.
From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
