adept
adept Lexical Profile
adept Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Very skilled, proficient, or accomplished at doing something.
"She is remarkably adept at translating complex scientific concepts for a general audience."
• noun
A person who is highly skilled, knowledgeable, or proficient at a particular activity or field.
"As an adept in classical guitar, he was invited to perform at the conservatory's annual recital."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'adept' (highly skilled) with 'adapt' (to adjust to new conditions) or 'adopt' (to take up or accept). Additionally, the adjective is pronounced with stress on the second syllable (/əˈdɛpt/), whereas the noun form is often stressed on the first syllable (/ˈædɛpt/).
• Rhymes for adept
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the mid-17th century from Latin 'adeptus' ('having attained'), the past participle of 'adipisci' ('to attain' or 'to reach'). It originally entered English as a noun referring to an alchemist who claimed to have discovered the secret of transmuting base metals into gold before broadening into an adjective meaning 'highly skilled'.