Versatile

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈvɜː.səˌtaɪl/

Definitions

1. Able to adapt or be adapted to many different functions or activities
2. Having the capacity to function effectively in numerous roles or for varied purposes
3. Having the ability to be used in a wide variety of ways or for different tasks

Etymology: The most striking shift in "versatile" is that its earliest sense was physical rather than personal. Latin "versātilis" meant "turning easily," describing something that could be rotated or swung around. The word comes from "versātus," the past participle of "versō," meaning "to turn or change," itself a frequentative (a form expressing repeated action) of "vertō," "to turn." So the core idea is turning over and over, which is still visible in the roots of many English words built on "vert" and "vers." The move from turning to capability happened gradually. Something that turns easily can be swung into different positions, and from there the idea extended to a person or thing that could be adapted to many tasks. English took the word from Latin, and its figurative sense of adaptability developed from that physical image of a thing that pivots readily. The modern meaning, of being capable across numerous roles, grew out of this turning-about notion rather than from any idea of breadth or variety.

Synonyms: adaptable, flexible

Antonyms: inflexible, limited