Meanings
jack of all trades, master of none1
plural jacks of all trades, masters of none · alternative Jack of all trades, master of none · alternative Jack-of-all-trades, master of none · alternative jack-of-all-trades, master of none · alternative jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none · alternative Jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none · alternative Jack of all trades—master of none · alternative Jack-of-all-trades—master of none · alternative jack of all trades—master of none · alternative Jack of all trades – master of none · alternative Jack-of-all trades – master of none · alternative jack of all trades – master of none · alternative Jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none · alternative jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none · alternative Jack of all trades; master of none · alternative jack of all trades; master of none
- idiomaticA person who has a competent grasp of many skills but who is not outstanding in any one.
Jack of all trades, master of none2
- alternativeAlternative form of jack of all trades, master of none
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
Expanded form of jack of all trades, which originally was sometimes used as a term of praise. In the 21st century this phrase has itself been (rarely) expanded to a couplet: : Jack of all trades, master of none, : though oftentimes better than master of one.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Mandarin 萬金油 /万金油, 博而不精
- 萬金油 /万金油 (wànjīnyóu)person who has a competent grasp of many skills
- 博而不精 (bó'érbùjīng)person who has a competent grasp of many skills
Czech devatero řemesel, desátá bída
- devatero řemesel, desátá bídaperson who has a competent grasp of many skills
Dutch twaalf stielen, dertien ongelukken
- twaalf stielen, dertien ongelukkenperson who has a competent grasp of many skills
Finnish jokapaikanhöylä, jokapaikan höylä
- jokapaikanhöyläperson who has a competent grasp of many skills
- jokapaikan höyläperson who has a competent grasp of many skills
French bon à tout, propre à rien
- bon à tout, propre à rienperson who has a competent grasp of many skills
German Hans Dampf in allen Gassen
- Hans Dampf in allen Gassenperson who has a competent grasp of many skills
Japanese 器用貧乏
- 器用貧乏 (kiyōbinbō)person who has a competent grasp of many skills
Latin Johannes factotum
- Johannes factotumperson who has a competent grasp of many skills
Persian همهکاره و هیچکاره
- همهکاره و هیچکارهperson who has a competent grasp of many skills
Polish omnibus
- omnibusperson who has a competent grasp of many skills
Portuguese pau para toda obra
- pau para toda obraperson who has a competent grasp of many skills
Russian подмасте́рье всех ремёсел, ма́стер ни одного́, за всё берётся, да не всё удаётся
- подмасте́рье всех ремёсел, ма́стер ни одного́ (podmastérʹje vsex remjósel, máster ni odnovó)person who has a competent grasp of many skills
- за всё берётся, да не всё удаётся (za vsjo berjótsja, da ne vsjo udajótsja)person who has a competent grasp of many skills
- автофотовеломототелерадиомонтёр (avtofotovelomototeleradiomontjór)person who has a competent grasp of many skills
Spanish aprendiz de todo, maestro de nada, milusos
- aprendiz de todo, maestro de nadaperson who has a competent grasp of many skills
- milusosperson who has a competent grasp of many skills
Thai รู้อย่างเป็ด
- รู้อย่างเป็ดperson who has a competent grasp of many skills
Cite this entry
jack of all trades, master of none. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/jack%20of%20all%20trades%2C%20master%20of%20none
“jack of all trades, master of none.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/jack%20of%20all%20trades%2C%20master%20of%20none. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “jack of all trades, master of none,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/jack%20of%20all%20trades%2C%20master%20of%20none.
Source: jack of all trades, master of none on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.