Adept
/əˈdɛpt/
adjectivenounB2
Definition
Adept describes someone who has a high level of skill or ability in a task or activity. It means being very good at something because of practice or natural talent. When used as a noun, it means a person who is an expert or very skilled at something.
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⚡ See It in Action
Very skilled or good at something (adjective)
- •She is adept at solving difficult math problems.
- •He became adept in speaking three languages fluently.
- •The mechanic is adept at fixing cars quickly.
A person who is very skilled or expert (noun)
- •He is an adept in computer programming.
- •The adept impressed everyone with her knowledge of music.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "adept" like "good" (A1 word), but much stronger—someone who is very, very good at a skill
- ✓Picture a painter who can draw beautiful pictures easily and quickly because they practiced a lot
- ✓It’s the feeling you get when you watch a player who plays a sport perfectly and makes it look easy
- ✓Sounds like "a-DEPT" → imagine a deep (like "depth") skill inside a person that makes them very capable
- ✓Think of a master chef who knows all recipes and cooking tricks—adept means expert and skilled
- ✓NOT like "beginner" (just starting), adept means you already know and do something very well
- ✓NOT like "average" (normal skill level), adept means above average, close to expert
- ✓NOT like "lucky" (by chance), adept means skill comes from learning and practice
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Skilled: having ability and practice in something (Use when you want to say someone is good but not necessarily expert)
- •Expert: a person with very high skill or knowledge (Use when emphasizing very high level or professional skill)
- •Proficient: able to do something well (Use in formal or learning contexts for good ability)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: No clear prefix or suffix; "adept" comes as a whole word
- •Etymology: From Latin "adeptus," past participle of "adipisci," meaning "to obtain" or "to arrive at"
- •Historical development: Originally meaning "having attained" skill or knowledge; used since the 1600s in English
- •Modern usage: Used to describe high skill or expertise in many areas, especially talents or learned abilities
💭 Reflect & Connect
•In what activities or skills do you consider yourself adept, and how did you become good at them?
•How can being adept in one skill help you learn other new skills more easily?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.She is adept at ___ difficult tasks quickly and correctly.
2.Being adept usually comes from ___ and practice, not just luck.
3.Unlike a beginner, an adept person has ___ experience and skill.
4.You can become adept by ___ regularly and learning from mistakes.
5.The teacher praised him for being adept ___ using computers.
6.An adept person often solves problems ___ than others.
7.When someone is adept at a skill, they usually feel ___ and confident doing it.