ENGLISH DICTIONARY

Dexterous

Definition, Meaning & Examples

Pronunciation /ˈdɛkstɹəs/ · Part of speech adjective

Quick meaning: Dexterous is an adjective meaning Skillful with one's hands.

Meaning

Skillful with one's hands.

More Meanings

  1. Skillful in some specific thing.
  2. Agile; flexible; able to move fluidly and gracefully.
  3. (figurative, archaic) Skilled at argumentation; mentally skillful; quick-witted.

Example Sentences

We went frequently out with this boat a-fishing; and as I was most dexterous to catch fish for him, he never went without me.
1775, speech by Edmund Burke […] the study [of law] renders men acute, inquisitive, dexterous, prompt in attack, ready in defense […]
She is pleasingly dexterous with the chopsticks, and keeps one hand lying palm up on her lap. Pinched with just the right pressure between the sticks; funny how plump women have that delicate touch.

Word Forms

Synonyms for dexterous

Depending on context, synonyms include adroit, deft, dextrous.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include dextrous, adroit, deft, artful, sure-handed, handy.

Related Dictionary Tools

Sources & Attribution

FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0

Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.