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View synonyms for proficient

proficient

[ pruh-fish-uhnt ]

adjective

  1. well-advanced or competent in any art, science, or subject; skilled:

    a proficient swimmer.

    Synonyms: finished, able, accomplished, experienced, competent, adept

    Antonyms: inept, unskilled



noun

  1. an expert.

proficient

/ prəˈfɪʃənt /

adjective

  1. having great facility (in an art, occupation, etc); skilled


noun

  1. See expert
    an archaic word for an expert

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Derived Forms

  • proˈficiency, noun
  • proˈficiently, adverb

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Other Words From

  • pro·fi·cient·ly adverb
  • pro·fi·cient·ness noun
  • o·ver·pro·fi·cient adjective
  • un·der·pro·fi·cient adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of proficient1

First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin prōficient-, stem of prōficiēns, present participle of prōficere “to advance, make progress,” equivalent to prō- pro- 1 + -ficere, combining form of facere “to make, do”; do, efficient

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Word History and Origins

Origin of proficient1

C16: from Latin prōficere to make progress, from pro- 1+ facere to make

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Example Sentences

For reading, 37 percent of students ranked proficient or advanced, with 24 percent at least proficient in math.

Similarly, researchers have demonstrated that the deep networks most proficient at classifying speech, music and simulated scents have architectures that seem to parallel the brain’s auditory and olfactory systems.

“Areas with the lowest turnout, which were largely poor and frequently not always English proficient … also have extremely low rates of mail-in ballot applications,” Schmidt said.

English-learners are students with a different home language, who are not yet proficient in English.

Web development is all about evolving and stepping up the game you are currently very proficient in.

For others, those ninjutsu-proficient reptiles were nefarious liberal propaganda.

But to some people, those ninjutsu-proficient teen-turtles also meant nefarious liberal propaganda.

Lots of things that now seem canonical would not have been accessible to Leonardo, who was not that proficient in Latin.

The test runs about two hours and was quite proficient at identifying the mentally disturbed—especially those prone to violence.

The Miscegenation Ball was an exception in its otherwise bland, though proficient, catalog.

To suddenly discover oneself proficient where failure had been feared increases self esteem and adds to the sum of happiness.

In Greek especially she was proficient, and Plato was to her more interesting than any story book.

Only the most proficient students were allowed to attend public secondary schools.

At last in desperation, I tried my only remaining tune, not being very proficient on the flute.

To become proficient in the Sechwana language was the earnest purpose of Robert Moffat.

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inveterate

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