Standard Lemma guide

deft

adj · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK, US: /dɛft/
  • rhymes with -ɛft
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: D EH1 F T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Quick and neat in action; skillful.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • He assembled it in one fluid, deft motion.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adjective satellite

Meaning 2

skillful in physical movements; especially of the hands

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a deft waiter
  • deft fingers massaged her face
  • dexterous of hand and inventive of mind

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: dexterous, dextrous

Antonyms: none provided

History

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”). 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.

Across languages

Translations

54 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: сръчен (srǎčen) — skillful
  • Bulgarian: изкусен (izkusen) — skillful
  • Bulgarian: ло́вък (lóvǎk) — skillful
  • Cebuano: maabilidad — skillful
  • Crimean Tatar: çeber — skillful
  • Czech: hbitý — skillful
  • Czech: šikovný — skillful
  • Czech: obratný — skillful
  • Dutch: handig — skillful
  • Esperanto: lerta — skillful
  • Finnish: taitava — skillful
  • Finnish: näppärä — skillful
  • French: adroit — skillful
  • French: compétent — skillful
  • French: habile — skillful
  • Galician: hábil — skillful
  • Georgian: მოხერხებული (moxerxebuli) — skillful
  • Georgian: მარჯვე (marǯve) — skillful
  • Georgian: მარდი (mardi) — skillful
  • Georgian: მკვირცხლი (mḳvircxli) — skillful
  • Georgian: ოსტატური (osṭaṭuri) — skillful
  • Georgian: გაწაფული (gac̣apuli) — skillful
  • Georgian: დახელოვნებული (daxelovnebuli) — skillful
  • German: geschickt — skillful
  • Italian: abile — skillful
  • Italian: solerte — skillful
  • Latin: dexter — skillful
  • Latvian: veikls — skillful
  • Māori: mārehe — skillful
  • Māori: mākohakoha — skillful
  • Māori: haratau — skillful
  • Māori: raka — skillful
  • Māori: ringarehe — skillful
  • Māori: rehe — skillful
  • Persian: چابک (čâbok) — skillful
  • Polish: zręczny — skillful
  • Portuguese: hábil — skillful
  • Portuguese: habilidoso — skillful
  • Russian: ло́вкий (lóvkij) — skillful
  • Russian: искусный (iskusnyj) — skillful
  • Russian: мастерский (masterskij) — skillful
  • Serbo-Croatian: spretan — skillful
  • Sicilian: àbbili — skillful
  • Slovak: zručný — skillful
  • Spanish: hábil — skillful
  • Spanish: diestro — skillful
  • Swedish: flink — skillful
  • Swedish: händig — skillful
  • Swedish: skicklig — skillful
  • Swedish: kvick — skillful
  • Telugu: చాకచక్యము (cākacakyamu) — skillful
  • Telugu: నేర్పు (nērpu) — skillful
  • Ukrainian: вправний (vpravnyj) — skillful
  • Ukrainian: спритний (sprytnyj) — skillful