versatile

adjective ver·sa·tile \ ˈvər-sə-tᵊl , especially British -ˌtī(-ə)l \

|Updated on: 10 Aug 2018

Examples: versatile in a Sentence

Definition of versatile

1 : embracing a variety of subjects, fields, or skills; also : turning with ease from one thing to another

2 : having many uses or applications

versatile building material

3 : changing or fluctuating readily : variable

a versatile disposition

4 a (1) : capable of turning forward or backward : reversible

a versatile toe of a bird

(2) : capable of moving laterally and up and down

versatile antennae

b of an anther : having the filaments attached at or near the middle so as to swing freely

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versatilely

play \ˈvər-sə-tᵊl-(l)ē, -ˌtī(-ə)l-lē\ adverb

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versatileness

play \ˈvər-sə-tᵊl-nəs, -ˌtī(-ə)l-nəs\ noun

See versatile defined for English-language learners

See versatile defined for kids

Examples of versatile in a Sentence

Horses stand apart because of their versatile roles in human society, which came to include dairy production, transportation, haulage, plowing, sports, warfare, religion, and status. —Sandra L. Olsen, Natural History, May 2008
Linemen have to be nimble, corners physical and linebackers versatile. —Peter King, Sports Illustrated, 22 Dec. 2008
Adobos are the Philippines' most beloved, and most versatile, dishes. They consist of meat, poultry, fish, or vegetables (such as okra and eggplant) slow-cooked in an aromatic broth of vinegar or coconut milk, garlic, black pepper, bay leaves, and, sometimes, soy sauce until virtually all the liquid has evaporated. —Amy Besa, Saveur, December 2008
This year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry went to three scientists for their work on a versatile strategy for synthesizing all manner of novel chemical compounds in an environmentally friendly way. … The three scientists focused on a reaction called metathesis … —A. Cunningham, Science News, 15 Oct. 2005
Within weeks [Gerd] Binnig, then 38 and with an infant daughter, worked with a colleague to build a prototype for what has become one of the most versatile scientific tools ever created: the atomic force microscope, or AFM. —Ivan Amato, Fortune, 14 June 2004
She is a versatile athlete who participates in many different sports.
A pocketknife is a versatile tool.

Recent Examples of versatile from the Web

Who woulda' thought that everyone's hair nightmare from childhood could actually be so versatile?

— kaleigh fasanella, Allure, "49 Classic Haircuts That Look Amazing at Any Age," 8 July 2018
Generative query networks are highly versatile The networks the DeepMind team built can draw remarkably rich inferences from a very limited amount of data.

— timothy b. lee, Ars Technica, "Google researchers created an amazing scene-rendering AI," 29 June 2018
But proceed with caution—the versatile shade works best in small doses.

— monique valeris, ELLE Decor, "This Paint Color is Going to Be Huge in 2019," 13 June 2018
As readers learned, the increasingly versatile DNA toolkit could trace the origins of elephant ivory, identify ancient diseases in long-dead mummies, help unravel the mysteries of aging, and even chart life's story back to its very origins.

— National Geographic, "How We've Tackled the Evolving Science of DNA," 25 Apr. 2018
The versatile guard took over the role of Davis' co-star and pieced together the best season of his career, renewing New Orleans' playoff hopes.

— william guillory, NOLA.com, "Anthony Davis, Jrue Holiday working to 'build a legacy here in New Orleans'," 22 Apr. 2018
The Chicago Bulls are getting an unselfish, versatile player who will not only be a tremendous addition on the court, but will also be an individual who makes a positive impact in the community of Chicago.

— rachel roberts, idahostatesman, "Hutchison's historic NBA Draft selection 'truly something special'," 21 June 2018
Less reliant on 3-point shooting, bigger and perhaps better defensively and more versatile matching up with opponents.

— jeffrey metcalfe, azcentral, "Bobby Hurley: ASU basketball no longer a secret after 2017-18 success," 20 June 2018
The smaller and more versatile steam engine, credited to James Watt, incorporated elements of Newcomen’s design, as well as a key innovation from the humble pressure cooker.

— david r. baker, San Francisco Chronicle, "‘Energy: A Human History,’ by Richard Rhodes," 7 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'versatile.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of versatile

borrowed from Latin versātilis "able to turn, operated by turning, capable of turning to different tasks," from versāre "to keep turning" (frequentative of vertere "to turn") + -tilis, suffix with the sense "characterized by, obtained by" — more at ¹worth

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1605

in the meaning defined at sense 3

See Words from the same year

versatile Synonyms

Synonyms

adaptable, all-around (also all-round), protean, universal;

Near Antonyms

limited;

amateur, inexperienced;

well-rounded;

able, ace, adept, experienced, expert, masterful, proficient, skilled, skillful;

adjustable, alterable, changeable, elastic, flexible, fluid, malleable, modifiable, plastic, pliable, pliant, supple, variable;

VERSATILE Defined for English Language Learners

versatile

adjective

Definition of versatile for English Language Learners

: able to do many different things
: having many different uses

VERSATILE Defined for Kids

versatile

adjective ver·sa·tile \ ˈvər-sə-tᵊl \

Definition of versatile for Students

1 : able to do many different kinds of things

2 : having many uses

a versatile tool

Word Root of versatile

The Latin word vertere, meaning “to turn” or “to change,” and its form versus give us the roots vert and vers. Words from the Latin vertere have something to do with turning or changing. Anything versatile, or able to do or be used for many different things, can change its task easily. A vertebra is a bone in the spine that allows an animal to turn its head or body. To avert is to turn away. To divert is to turn aside onto a new path. To revert is to turn back to a former way of being.