dexterous

形容词 adj.
中文释义

英文释义

形容词 adj.
  1. Skillful with one's hands.
    — She is pleasingly dexterous with the chopsticks, and keeps one hand lying palm up on her lap. Pinched with just the right pressure between the sticks; funny how plump women have that delicate touch.
  2. Skillful in some specific thing.
    — We went frequently out with this boat a-fishing; and as I was most dexterous to catch fish for him, he never went without me.
  3. Agile; flexible; able to move fluidly and gracefully.
  4. Skilled at argumentation; mentally skillful; quick-witted. archaic,figuratively
    — 1775, speech by Edmund Burke […] the study [of law] renders men acute, inquisitive, dexterous, prompt in attack, ready in defense […]

词形变化

more dexterous comparative most dexterous superlative dextrous alternative,UK

词汇关系

衍生词
dexterously dexterousness nondexterous undexterous
相关词
ambidextrous dexter dexterity adroit active expert skillful clever able ready apt handy versed

词源

Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *déḱs
Proto-Indo-European *deḱs-terósder.
Proto-Italic *deksteros
Latin dexter
Proto-Indo-European *h₃ed-
Proto-Indo-European *-os
Proto-Indo-European *h₃édosder.?
Proto-Italic *-ōtsos or *-otsos
Latin -ōsus
Old French -usbor.
Middle English -ous
English -ous
English dexterous
From Latin dexter (“right, ready”) + -ous. Displaced native Old English handcræftiġ.
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