can iask about this word?

Question

hello, can I ask about the word " adroit" can i use it, or what's the best word has the same meaning , also, can i use it as verb and noun.

Answer 1

''Adroit'' means mentally or physically skilful. It is used as an adjective on most occasions - He is adroit at mathematics - but it can be used as a noun - adroitness - as in His adroitness at mathematics make him impossible to beat - or as an adverb - He adroitly outmanoeuvred the opposition on the field. It is not, however, a verb.

It comes from the French phrase ''a droit'' meaning ''with the right [hand]'' because it was once believed that the right hand was the most skilful as well as the symbol of power.

Edit: If you want synonyms for adroit, you can use words like:

- skilful
- resourceful
- dexterous
- clever
- ingenious

Answer 2

It comes from the French a + droit meaning "to the right". This is not a political statement but it means "dexterous or clever". The word "dexterous" comes from the Latin "dexter" also meaning "right". This is right as in right-handed. "Left" is "sinister" or, in the French, "gauche". It was thought at one time that left handed people were stupid and/or evil while right handed people were fine and good so we see the modern meanings of "sinister" and "gauche" from the left and "adroit" and "dexterous" from the right.

The old associations with left and right handedness have long gone so we can freely use any of the words without offending anyone. It is nice, however, to know the history of the words.