versatile

[vur-suh-tl or, esp. British, -tahyl]

See more synonyms for versatile on Thesaurus.com

adjective

capable of or adapted for turning easily from one to another of various tasks, fields of endeavor, etc.: a versatile writer.
having or capable of many uses: a versatile tool.
Botany. attached at or near the middle so as to swing freely, as an anther.

Zoology. turning either forward or backward: a versatile toe.
variable or changeable, as in feeling, purpose, or policy: versatile moods.

Origin of versatile

1595–1605; < Latin versātilis revolving, many-sided, equivalent to versāt(us) (past participle of versāre, frequentative of vertere to turn; see verse, -ate¹) + -ilis -ile

Related formsver·sa·tile·ly, adverbver·sa·til·i·ty, ver·sa·tile·ness, nounnon·ver·sa·til·i·ty, nounun·ver·sa·tile, adjectiveun·ver·sa·tile·ly, adverbun·ver·sa·tile·ness, nounun·ver·sa·til·i·ty, noun

Synonyms for versatile

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1, 2. adaptable, all-around. 2. handy.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for versatility

adaptability, ambidexterity, utility

Examples from the Web for versatility

Contemporary Examples of versatility

She was known for her versatility, and was nominated for her performances in Caged, Detective Story, and Interrupted Melody.
The Deaths You Missed This Year
Malcolm Jones, Jimmy So, Michael Moynihan, Caitlin Dickson
December 30, 2013
But there is no standard in English other than its versatility.
How I Write: Paul Lynch
Noah Charney
December 18, 2013
“I was amazed with the versatility of her look,” he explained of Lohan.
Lindsay Lohan’s Sister Sets Her Sights on Modeling
Misty White Sidell
May 8, 2013
I've since tried various replacements, none of which have had the versatility of the original gizmo.
Real Men Cut Their Own Hair
David Frum
September 24, 2012
For this versatility, Fox News senior vice president Michael Clemente compares Kelly to Barbara Walters.
The Barbara Walters of Fox News?
Rebecca Dana
April 27, 2010

Historical Examples of versatility

Scarlatti, born in 1659, was a composer of great originality, as well as versatility.
The Standard Oratorios
George P. Upton
The more I knew of Miss Taft the more her versatility amazed me.
A Daughter of the Middle Border
Hamlin Garland
Each piece was his own, each piece was the product of his own versatility and his own strength.
The Untroubled Mind
Herbert J. Hall
The following may serve as an instance of their versatility.
Memoirs of the Comtesse du Barry
Etienne Leon Lamothe-Langon
The versatility, the mental agility, of the children is as remarkable as their activity.
What Is and What Might Be
Edmond Holmes

British Dictionary definitions for versatility

versatile

adjective

capable of or adapted for many different uses, skills, etc
variable or changeable
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 backwardsversatile antennae

Derived Formsversatilely, adverbversatility (ˌvɜːsəˈtɪlɪtɪ), noun

Word Origin for versatile

C17: from Latin versātilis moving around, from versāre to turn

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 versatility

versatile

adj.

c.1600, from Latin versatilis "turning, revolving, moving, capable of turning to varied subjects or tasks," from past participle stem of versare "keep turning, be engaged in something, turn over in the mind," frequentative of vertere "to turn" (see versus).