Etymology

habile

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Today it means: Generally able or adroit; handy. Full definition →

Middle English habil ← Old French habile ← Latin habilis
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The story

  1. Latin · derived fromhabilis“suitable; apt”
  2. Old French · derived fromhabile
  3. Middle English · inherited fromhabil
  4. English todayhabile

From Middle English habil, from Old French habile, from Latin habilis (“suitable; apt”), from habeō (“to handle”). Doublet of able.

Words from the same roots

Latinhabilis all →

able

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.