adequate
adequate Lexical Profile
adequate Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Sufficient in quantity or degree to meet a specific need, requirement, or purpose.
"Make sure the seedlings receive adequate sunlight and water throughout the spring."
Barely satisfactory or acceptable in quality or ability; passable without being exceptional.
"His knowledge of French was adequate for ordering meals, though he struggled with rapid conversation."
Word Nuance & Usage
While "adequate" denotes that something meets a necessary requirement, it often carries a lukewarm or faintly critical undertone when describing performance or quality, implying that something is merely passable rather than impressive.
• Rhymes for adequate
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the early 17th century from Latin adaequātus, the past participle of adaequāre ("to make equal to"), formed from the prefix ad- ("to") and aequus ("equal" or "level").