versatile

English

Etymology

From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Latin versātilis (“turning easily”), from versātus, past participle of versō (“I turn, change”), frequentative of vertō (“I turn”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈvɝsətl̩/
• IPA^(key): /ˈvɜːsətaɪl/, [ˈvɜːsətaɪɫ]

• Audio (UK):

  (file)

Adjective

versatile (comparative more versatile, superlative most versatile)

1. Capable of doing many things competently.
2. Having varied uses or many functions.
3. Changeable or inconstant.
4. (biology) Capable of moving freely in all directions.
   • 1996, William G. D'Arcy, edited by William G. D'Arcy, 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.

5. (BDSM) Being a switch; capable of taking either a dominant or a submissive role.
   • 2004, "queenchaser1158", Horny Versatile TV/TS Wanted in Phoenix (on newsgroup alt.personals.gay)
6. (gay slang) Capable of taking both a top and bottom role.

Derived terms

• versatility

Translations

capable of doing many things competently

• Catalan: versàtil
• Dutch: veelzijdig (nl), pluriform (nl)
• Esperanto: multforma, plurforma, ŝanĝiĝiva, ŝanĝiĝpova, ŝanĝiĝkapabla
• Finnish: monipuolinen (fi)
• French: polyvalent (fr)
• Georgian: მრავალმხრივი (mravalmxrivi), მრავალფეროვანი (mravalperovani)
• German: bewandt (de), beweglich (de), gewandt (de)
• Hungarian: sokoldalú (hu)
• Italian: versatile (it)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Korean: 다재다능한 (dajaedaneunghan)
• Polish: uniwersalny (pl), wszechstronny (pl), wersatylny
• Portuguese: versátil (pt)
• Romanian: versatil (ro), multilateral (ro)
• Russian: разносторо́нний (ru) (raznostorónnij)
• Spanish: versátil (es)
• Swedish: kvick (sv), pigg (sv), belevad (sv), behändig (sv)
• Turkish: becerikli (tr), elinden her iş gelen

having varied uses or many functions

• Catalan: versàtil
• Danish: alsidig (da)
• Dutch: veelzijdig (nl), handig (nl), multiverseel
• Finnish: monipuolinen (fi)
• French: polyvalent (fr), versatile (fr)
• Georgian: მრავალფუნქციონალური (mravalpunkcionaluri)
• German: vielseitig (de)
• Hungarian: sokoldalú (hu)
• Japanese: 多目的 (tamokuteki)
• Manx: so-hyndaa
• Polish: uniwersalny (pl), wielofunkcyjny (pl)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Portuguese: versátil (pt)
• Romanian: versatil (ro)
• Russian: многофункциона́льный (ru) (mnogofunkcionálʹnyj)
• Spanish: versátil (es), multiuso (es), multívoco m
• Swedish: mångsidig (sv)
• Thai: สารพัดประโยชน์ (sǎa-rá-pát-bprà-yòot)
• Turkish: çok amaçlı

changeable or inconstant

• Dutch: grillig (nl), veranderlijk (nl), onstabiel (nl), versatiel (nl), wispelturig (nl), capricieus (nl)
• Esperanto: ŝanĝiĝema (eo)
• Finnish: vaihteleva (fi), muuttuvainen
• French: versatile (fr)
• Georgian: ცვალებადი (cvalebadi), მერყევი (merq̇evi)
• German: wandlungsfähig (de), wendig (de)
• Manx: so-hyndaa
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Portuguese: versátil (pt)
• Romanian: pivotant (ro), inconstant (ro)
• Russian: изме́нчивый (ru) (izménčivyj), непостоя́нный (ru) (nepostojánnyj)
• Swedish: föränderlig (sv), ombytlig (sv)
• Turkish: değişken (tr)

biology: capable of moving freely in all directions

• Dutch: wendbaar (nl)
• Georgian: მოძრავი (moʒravi)
• German: versatil (de)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Romanian: versatil (ro), pivotant (ro)
• Russian: подви́жный (ru) (podvížnyj)

gay sexual slang: capable of taking both a top and bottom role

• Arabic: مُبَادِل (mubādil)
• Chinese:

  Cantonese: 0.5 (ling⁴ dim² ng⁵)

  Mandarin: 0.5 (língdiǎnwǔ)

• French: versatile (fr) m
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Japanese: リバ (riba), 回 (ja)
• Portuguese: versátil (pt)
• Spanish: versátil (es), universal (es)
• Thai: โบ๊ท (bóot)
• Turkish: aktif-pasif, ap (tr) (abbreviated)

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.

Anagrams

• levirates, relatives

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French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /vɛʁ.sa.til/

• Audio:

  (file)

Adjective

versatile (plural versatiles)

1. versatile; easily changeable
2. indecisive

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Italian

Etymology

From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Latin versatilis, from versare (“to turn, to twist”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [verˈsaː.t̪i.le], /verˈsatile/

Adjective

1. versatile
2. all-round, all around, multiskilled

Derived terms

• versatilità

Anagrams

• laveresti, rilevaste, rivaleste, rivelaste, servitela, versateli

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Latin

Adjective

(deprecated template usage) versātile

1. nominative neuter singular of versātilis
2. accusative neuter singular of versātilis
3. vocative neuter singular of versātilis

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Romanian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /versaˈtile/

Adjective

versatile f pl or n pl

1. nominative feminine plural of versatil
2. accusative feminine plural of versatil
3. nominative neuter plural of versatil
4. accusative neuter plural of versatil