habile

adjective

hab·ile ˈha-bəl

-ˌbī(-ə)l

Synonyms of habile next

next

: having general skill : able, skillful

Word History

Etymology

Middle English (Scots) habyll, from Middle French habile, from Latin habilis — more at able

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of habile was in the 15th century

See more words from the same century

Browse Nearby Words

Habibie

habile

habiliment

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Habile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/habile. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster

Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the Day

nascent

Listen to the pronunciation of nascent

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Commonly Misspelled Words

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Using Bullet Points ( • )

Words You Always Have to Look Up

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Popular in Wordplay

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language

Possum vs. Opossum: Is There a Difference?

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Popular

Commonly Misspelled Words

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language