dexterous

dex·ter·ous

adj \ˈdek-st(ə-)rəs\

Definition of DEXTEROUS

1

: mentally adroit and skillful : clever <her dexterous handling of the crisis>

2

: done with dexterity : artful <a dexterous maneuver>

3

: skillful and competent with the hands <a dexterous surgeon>

— dex·ter·ous·ly adverb

— dex·ter·ous·ness noun

Variants of DEXTEROUS

dex·ter·ous also dex·trous \ˈdek-st(ə-)rəs\

Examples of DEXTEROUS

1. They praised her dexterous handling of the crisis.
2. The movie is a dexterous retelling of a classic love story.

Origin of DEXTEROUS

Latin dextr-, dexter on the right side, skillful

First Known Use: 1609

Related to DEXTEROUS

Synonyms: clever, cunning, deft, handy

Antonyms: butterfingered, ham-fisted, ham-handed, handless, heavy-handed, unhandy

Related Words: agile, flexible, graceful, limber, lissome (also lissom), lithe, lithesome, nimble, spry; coordinated; able, adept, capable, competent, expert, habile, masterful, masterly, proficient, qualified, skilled, skillful, sure-handed; double-jointed, loose-jointed

Near Antonyms: awkward, bungling, clumsy, fumbling, gauche, gawky, graceless, klutzy, rough-hewn, stiff, stilted, uncomfortable, uneasy, ungainly, ungraceful, wooden; uncoordinated; incapable, incompetent, inept, inexpert, maladroit

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Synonym Discussion of DEXTEROUS

dexterous, adroit, deft mean ready and skilled in physical movement. dexterous implies expertness with consequent facility and quickness in manipulation <unrolled the sleeping bag with a dexterous toss>. adroit implies dexterity but usually also stresses resourcefulness or artfulness or inventiveness <the magician's adroit response to the failure of her prop won applause>. deft emphasizes lightness, neatness, and sureness of touch or handling <a surgeon's deft manipulation of the scalpel>.