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Versatile - 4 dictionary results

ver⋅sa⋅tile

[vur-suh-tl or, especially Brit., -tahyl]
–adjective
1. capable of or adapted for turning easily from one to another of various tasks, fields of endeavor, etc.: a versatile writer.
2. having or capable of many uses: a versatile tool.
3. Botany. attached at or near the middle so as to swing freely, as an anther.
4. Zoology. turning either forward or backward: a versatile toe.
5. variable or changeable, as in feeling, purpose, or policy: versatile moods.

Origin:
1595–1605; < L versātilis revolving, many-sided, equiv. to versāt(us) (ptp. of versāre, freq. of vertere to turn; see verse, -ate 1 ) + -ilis -ile


ver⋅sa⋅tile⋅ly, adverb
ver⋅sa⋅til⋅i⋅ty, ver⋅sa⋅tile⋅ness, noun


1, 2. adaptable, all-around. 2. handy.
ver·sa·tile   (vûr'sə-təl, -tīl')   
adj.  
  1. Capable of doing many things competently.
  2. Having varied uses or serving many functions: "The most versatile of vegetables is the tomato" (Craig Claiborne).
  3. Variable or inconstant; changeable: a versatile temperament.
  4. Biology Capable of moving freely in all directions, as the antenna of an insect, the toe of an owl, or the loosely attached anther of a flower.

[Latin versātilis, from versātus, past participle of versāre, to turn; see wer-2 in Indo-European roots.]
ver'sa·tile·ly adv., ver'sa·til'i·ty (-tĭl'ĭ-tē), ver'sa·tile·ness (-təl-nĭs, -tīl'-) n.
Synonyms: These adjectives mean having many aspects, uses, or abilities: a versatile writer; an all-around athlete; a many-sided subject; a multifaceted undertaking; multifarious interests.

Versatile

Ver"sa*tile\, a. [L. versatilis, fr. versare to turn around, v. freq. of vertere: cf. F. versatile. See Verse.]

1. Capable of being turned round. --Harte.

2. Liable to be turned in opinion; changeable; variable; unsteady; inconstant; as versatile disposition.

3. Turning with ease from one thing to another; readily applied to a new task, or to various subjects; many-sided; as, versatile genius; a versatile politician.

Conspicuous among the youths of high promise . . . was the quick and versatile [Charles] Montagu. --Macaulay.

4. (Nat. Hist.) Capable of turning; freely movable; as, a versatile anther, which is fixed at one point to the filament, and hence is very easily turned around; a versatile toe of a bird. -- Ver"sa*tile*ly, adv. -- -- Ver"sa*tile*ness, n.
Language Translation for : Versatile
Spanish: versátil, polifacético, de talentos variados,
German: wendig,
Japanese: 多才な

versatile 
1605, from L. versatilis "turning, revolving, moving, capable of turning to varied subjects or tasks," from pp. 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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