conversant

adjective

con·​ver·​sant kən-ˈvər-sᵊnt 

 also  ˈkän-vər-sənt

1

: having knowledge or experience

—used with with

conversant with modern history

is conversant with the operating system of the computer

2

archaic : having frequent or familiar association

3

archaic : concerned, occupied

Did you know?

The adjectives conversant and conversational are related; both are descendants of Latin conversari, meaning "to associate with." Conversant dates to the Middle Ages, and an early meaning of the word was simply "having familiar association." One way to associate with others is to have a conversation with them—in other words, to talk. For a short time in the 19th century conversant could mean "relating to or suggesting conversation," but for the most part that meaning stayed with conversational while conversant went in a different direction. Today, conversant is sometimes used, especially in the United States, with the meaning "able to talk in a foreign language," as in "she is conversant in several languages," but it is more often associated with knowledge or familiarity, as in "conversant with the issues."

Synonyms

• abreast
• acquainted
• au courant
• familiar
• informed
• knowledgeable
• up
• up-to-date
• versed
• well-informed

Examples of conversant in a Sentence

She's conversant in several languages.

a world traveler who is highly conversant with the customs of foreign cultures

Recent Examples on the Web

But many educators — and policymakers — are not deeply conversant on A.I. Los Angeles, for example, hired an inexperienced start-up to create an A.I. chat bot for students and families. —Dana Goldstein, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025

The site is conversant and uses casual and understandable language. —PCMAG, 3 Mar. 2025

Ideally, the future president and CEO will be conversant with the issues of regulation of trade, immigration, and investment in public and business infrastructure on both sides of the border. —Julian Palombo, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Jan. 2025

Given Biden’s years as a top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and his eight years as Vice President and four as a globe-trotting President, the legacy-building set piece makes sense and the easiest to sell to a nation that is not exactly conversant in international affairs. —Philip Elliott, TIME, 13 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

see converse entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for conversant

• dispersant

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Kids Definition

conversant

adjective

con·​ver·​sant kən-ˈvərs-ᵊnt 

: having knowledge or experience : familiar

conversant with the issues