Related Searches
Nearby Words

adeptness

[adj. uh-dept; n. ad-ept, uh-dept] Origin

a·dept

[adj. uh-dept; n. ad-ept, uh-dept]
adjective
1.
very skilled; proficient; expert: an adept juggler.
noun ad·ept
2.
a skilled or proficient person; expert.

:10

:09

:08

:07

:06

:05

:04

:03

:02

:01

Adeptness is always a great word to know.
So is ninnyhammer. Does it mean:
a fool or simpleton; ninny.
the offspring of a zebra and a donkey.

Origin:
1655–65; < Medieval Latin adeptus one who has attained (the secret of transmuting metals), noun use of L past participle of adipiscī to attain to (ad- ad- + -ep-, combining form of ap- in aptus apt + -tus past participle suffix)

a·dept·ly, adverb
a·dept·ness, noun
non·a·dept, adjective
non·a·dept·ly, adverb
non·a·dept·ness, noun
EXPAND
un·a·dept, adjective
un·a·dept·ly, adverb
un·a·dept·ness, noun
COLLAPSE

adapt, adept, adopt.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To adeptness
Collins
World English Dictionary
adept
 
adj
1.  very proficient in something requiring skill or manual dexterity
2.  skilful; expert
 
n
3.  a person who is skilled or proficient in something
 
[C17: from Medieval Latin adeptus, from Latin adipiscī to attain, from ad- to + apiscī to attain]
 
a'deptly
 
adv
 
a'deptness
 
n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

adept
1660s (n.), 1690s (adj.), from L. adeptus "having reached, attained," pp. of adipisci "to attain to, acquire," from ad- "to" + apisci "grasp, attain," related to aptus "fitted" (see apt). Noun meaning "one who is skilled in the secrets of anything" is from a M.L. use in alchemy.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Dictionary.com, LLC. Copyright © 2012. All rights reserved.
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature