versatile
English
Etymology
From Latin versātilis (“turning easily”), from versātus, past participle of versō (“I turn, change”), frequentative of vertō (“I turn”).
Pronunciation
- (General American, Canada) IPA(key): /ˈvɚ.sə.ɾəl/, /ˈvɚ.sə.təl/, /ˈvɚ.səˌtaɪl/
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈvɜː.səˌtaɪl/, [ˈvɜː.səˌtaɪɫ]
Audio (UK) (file)
Adjective
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
- (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
Translations
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
- “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.
French
Etymology
From Latin versātilis.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /vɛʁ.sa.til/
Audio (file)
Derived terms
Further reading
- “versatile”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Italian
Etymology
From Latin versātilis, from versāre (“to turn, to twist”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /verˈsa.ti.le/
- Rhymes: -atile
- Hyphenation: ver‧sà‧ti‧le
Derived terms
Latin
Romanian
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /versaˈtile/
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