Word
deft
US/ˈdɛft/
UK/dˈɛft/
Definition
adj. having the skill to do something difficult with great care and precision. You use this to describe someone who is very good at a specific task, like a surgeon or a dancer.
adj. characterised by skill, precision, and grace in handling difficult or delicate tasks. Often used to describe physical movements or intellectual handling of complex situations.
Examples
“The surgeon made a deft cut to save the patient.”
“The pianist played the difficult passage with such deft fingers that the audience barely noticed the complexity.”
“A deft diplomat managed to navigate the tense negotiations without alienating either side, finding a compromise that satisfied both nations' core interests.”
Examples
simple
“The surgeon made a deft cut to save the patient.”
contextual
“The pianist played the difficult passage with such deft fingers that the audience barely noticed the complexity.”
complex
“A deft diplomat managed to navigate the tense negotiations without alienating either side, finding a compromise that satisfied both nations' core interests.”
Real-World Examples
“As for the sheep, their faces convey amazingly distinct expressions and moods with just a few deft movements.” “His technique in close quarters has been especially impressive, with deft touches and passes helping RSL get into dangerous areas.” Etymology
From Middle English defte, daft (“gentle”), from Old English dæfte (“mild, gentle, meek”), from Proto-West Germanic daftī (“fitting, suitable”), derived from dabaną (“to be suitable”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰh₂ebʰ- (“fitting, fit together”). Near cognates include Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌳𐍉𐍆𐍃 (gadōfs, “suitable”), West Frisian deftich (“distinguished”), Dutch deftig (“distinguished”), German deftig (“coarse”). Further cognates include Russian добро (dobro, “wealth, good”) and Latin faber (“craftsman; skillful”). Doublet of daft.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/deft