Versatile Meaning
/ˈvɜː.səˌtaɪl/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
adjCapable of doing many things competently.
adjHaving varied uses or many functions.
Sentence Examples
Avoiding one-use kitchen utensils, Elton forgoes apple corers, preferring the more versatile paring knife.
The programming language Java is highly versatile.
The Lord is versatile: He giveth and taketh.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
The new smartphone is ____, serving as a phone, camera, and computer.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The new kitchen tool is very ____, as it can be used for several tasks such as chopping and mixing today.
Word Origin & History
From Latin versātilis (“turning easily”), from versātus, past participle of versō (“to turn, change”), frequentative of vertō (“to turn”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Ruthanna Boris, a versatile dancer and choreographer who was the first American ballerina to be a star of one of the prestigious Ballets Russes troupes of the ’40s, died Friday at her home in El Cerrito, Calif. She was 88."
— 2007 January 8, Jack Anderson, “Ruthanna Boris, Versatile Ballet Russe Dancer, Dies at 88”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 26 Jan 2021:
"The versatile anther is an important step up in flowering plant evolution and it may be the most widespread of all simple anther types."
— 1996, William G. D'Arcy, edited by William G. D'Arcy and Richard C. Keating, The anther: form, function, and phylogeny:
"Among men who do engage in anal intercourse, about one-quarter are tops, one-quarter are bottoms, and one-half are versatile."
— 2017, Simon LeVay, Gay, Straight, and the Reason why: The Science of Sexual Orientation:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The new smartphone is ____, serving as a phone, camera, and computer.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The new kitchen tool is very ____, as it can be used for several tasks such as chopping and mixing today.