versatile
[vur-suh-tl or, esp. British, -tahyl]
- 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.
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Origin of versatile
Synonyms
See more synonyms for versatile on Thesaurus.com1, 2. adaptable, all-around. 2. handy.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for versatility
Contemporary Examples
She was known for her versatility, and was nominated for her performances in Caged, Detective Story, and Interrupted Melody.
The Deaths You Missed This YearMalcolm Jones, Jimmy So, Michael Moynihan, Caitlin Dickson
December 30, 2013
But there is no standard in English other than its versatility.
“I was amazed with the versatility of her look,” he explained of Lohan.
I've since tried various replacements, none of which have had the versatility of the original gizmo.
For this versatility, Fox News senior vice president Michael Clemente compares Kelly to Barbara Walters.
Historical Examples
Scarlatti, born in 1659, was a composer of great originality, as well as versatility.
The Standard OratoriosGeorge P. Upton
The more I knew of Miss Taft the more her versatility amazed me.
A Daughter of the Middle BorderHamlin Garland
Each piece was his own, each piece was the product of his own versatility and his own strength.
The Untroubled MindHerbert J. Hall
The following may serve as an instance of their versatility.
Memoirs of the Comtesse du BarryEtienne Leon Lamothe-Langon
The versatility, the mental agility, of the children is as remarkable as their activity.
What Is and What Might BeEdmond Holmes
versatile
- 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
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Word Origin
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
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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).
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper