- Today's Word
Adroit
uh-DROYT
Definition
- (adjective) Skillful, clever, or resourceful, especially in handling situations or using one’s hands.
Example
The chess champion was adroit in anticipating her opponent’s every move.
Fun Fact
“Adroit” comes from the French à droit, meaning “to the right,” reflecting the historical association of right-handedness with skill and dexterity. While originally used for physical abilities, today it often describes mental sharpness, such as being adroit in negotiations or problem-solving. Interestingly, its opposite, “maladroit,” means clumsy or unskillful.
(noun) A profound transformation of mind and character; a fundamental change in one’s values, outlook, or way of life.
The diagnosis wasn’t a death sentence — for her it was a metanoia, a complete reorientation of everything she had previously decided mattered.
Metanoia derives from the Greek metanoia, meaning “change of mind,” built from meta- (“beyond” or “after”) and nous (“mind”). In classical Greek philosophy it described a shift in perspective so fundamental it altered the entire orientation of a person’s thinking. In early Christian theology it acquired the specific meaning of repentance — not merely feeling sorry but undergoing a complete transformation of character. Both meanings persist in modern usage, the secular and the spiritual versions of the word describing the same essential experience from different angles.