Definition of MASTERLY

masterly

Adjective Satellite

  • having or revealing supreme mastery or skill
    • "a masterly performance of the sonata"

Adj

  • Executed in the manner of a master; showing competence and skill; masterful.
  • Like a master; arbitrary; domineering, imperious.

Adv

  • In a masterful manner; competently, masterfully.

Adjective

  • Showing the skill of a master; extremely skillful.

Examples

  • Her years of experience enabled her to render a masterly performance.
  • His MASTERLY placement of ’QUIXOTIC’ secured him the game.

Origin / Etymology

PIE word
*méǵh₂s
From Middle English maisterli, from maister (“leader, ruler; high official; official in charge of a place; person in control; employer; owner; schoolmaster, teacher; scholar, sage; holder of a master's degree; religious teacher; master craftsman; expert; magician; social superior; husband; lover; Jesus Christ; a god; male stud animal”) + -li (suffix forming adjectives). Maister is derived from Old English mæġester (“master”) and Old French maistre (“master”) (modern French maître), both from Latin magister (“teacher; master”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s (“big, great”). The English word is analysable as master + -ly.

Scrabble Score: 13

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

Words With Friends Score: 14

masterly: valid Words With Friends Word