Agility

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /əˈd͡ʒɪl.ɪ.ti/

Definitions

1. The capacity to move quickly and easily with grace and flexibility, or the ability to respond promptly and adapt effectively to changing circumstances
2. The ability to move nimbly and effortlessly in a coordinated manner, as well as the skill in adapting swiftly to new or unexpected situations
3. It refers to the quality of moving with speed and ease while also being capable of quick, effective adjustment in dynamic environments

Etymology: Agility's core is a simple Latin adjective, "agilis," meaning nimble, fleet, or quick, and the noun "agilitas" was built on it by adding the suffix that turns quality adjectives into nouns. English borrowed the noun in the late Middle Ages, arriving through Middle French "agilité," so the word came into English as a finished abstraction rather than as a description of anything physical. The adjective "agile" reached English directly from Latin "agilis," and "agility" followed it as the quality it named. The word's meaning has stayed close to its origin: a quick, light body moving with ease, now extended to a mind or organisation that adapts just as readily.

Synonyms: nimbleness, quickness, dexterity, flexibility, liveliness

Antonyms: clumsiness, awkwardness, inflexibility, heaviness