versatile
English edit
Etymology edit
From Latin versātilis (“turning easily”), from versātus, past participle of versō (“I turn, change”), frequentative of vertō (“I turn”).
Pronunciation edit
- (General American, Canada) IPA(key): /ˈvɝ.səˌtaɪl/, /ˈvɝ.sə.təl/
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈvɜː.səˌtaɪl/, [ˈvɜː.səˌtaɪɫ]
Audio (UK) (file)
Adjective edit
versatile (comparative more versatile, superlative most versatile)
- Capable of doing many things competently.
- Having varied uses or many functions.
- Changeable or inconstant.
- (biology) Capable of moving freely in all directions.
- 1996, William G. D'Arcy, edited by William G. D'Arcy and Richard C. Keating, The anther: form, function, and phylogeny:
- The versatile anther is an important step up in flowering plant evolution and it may be the most widespread of all simple anther types.
- (gay slang) Capable of taking either a penetrative (top) or receptive (bottom) role in anal sex.
- Synonym: (India) double-decker
- 2017, Simon LeVay, Gay, Straight, and the Reason why: The Science of Sexual Orientation[1]:
- Among men who do engage in anal intercourse, about one-quarter are tops, one-quarter are bottoms, and one-half are versatile.
- (BDSM) Being a switch; capable of taking either a dominant or a submissive role.
- 2004, queenchaser1158, “Horny Versatile TV/TS Wanted in Phoenix”, in alt.personals.gay (Usenet):
- (sex, broadly) Capable of being either a dominant or a submissive partner in a sexual relationship.
Derived terms edit
Translations edit
capable of doing many things competently
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having varied uses or many functions
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changeable or inconstant
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biology: capable of moving freely in all directions
gay sexual slang: capable of taking both a top and bottom role
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Further reading edit
- “versatile”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
- “versatile”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
- “versatile”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
Anagrams edit
French edit
Etymology edit
From Latin versātilis.
Pronunciation edit
Adjective edit
versatile (plural versatiles)
- versatile; easily changeable
- indecisive
Derived terms edit
Further reading edit
- “versatile”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Italian edit
Etymology edit
From Latin versātilis, from versāre (“to turn, to twist”).
Pronunciation edit
Adjective edit
versatile (plural versatili)
Derived terms edit
Anagrams edit
Latin edit
Adjective edit
versātile
Romanian edit
Pronunciation edit
Adjective edit
versatile f pl or n pl