- 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.
(verb) To suggest or assume something as a basis for reasoning or argument without prior proof.
The scientist postulated that the mysterious signals were coming from a previously undiscovered layer of the atmosphere, a theory that took years to confirm.
Postulate derives from the Latin postulare, meaning “to demand” or “to claim,” rooted in poscere, meaning “to ask urgently.” In medieval logic and mathematics, a postulate was a foundational assumption that didn’t require proof — something demanded to be accepted as a starting point. Euclid’s famous geometric postulates, written around 300 BCE, are among the most influential examples in intellectual history.