versed
versed Lexical Profile
versed Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Experienced, skilled, or knowledgeable in a particular subject or activity through study or practice (usually followed by 'in').
"The newly hired compliance officer is thoroughly versed in international trade regulations."
• verb
To express in verse or compose poetry (past tense and past participle of 'verse').
"The court bard versed the ancient legends of the kingdom into epic ballads."
Word Nuance & Usage
As an adjective, 'versed' is used almost exclusively in the predicate position followed by the preposition 'in' (e.g., 'versed in history'), and very frequently appears in the hyphenated compound 'well-versed'.
• Rhymes for versed
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 16th century from French 'versé' or directly from Latin 'versatus' ('engaged in, experienced'), the past participle of 'versari' ('to be engaged in, dwell, turn about'). Despite identical spelling, the adjective 'versed' is etymologically distinct from the poetic noun 'verse' in its immediate development, though both trace back to the Latin root 'vertere' ('to turn').