Definition of DEFT

deft

Adjective Satellite

  • skillful in physical movements; especially of the hands
    • "a deft waiter"
    • "deft fingers massaged her face"

Adj

  • Quick and neat in action; skillful.

Adjective

  • Skillful and quick in one's movements or actions.

Examples

  • He assembled it in one fluid, deft motion.
  • Her deft placement of ’QUIZ’ on a triple word score won her the game.

Origin / 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”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰh₂ebʰ- (“fitting, fit together”). 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”).

Synonyms

dexterous, dextrous

Scrabble Score: 8

deft: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
deft: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
deft: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 8

deft: valid Words With Friends Word