Adventures in Etymology – Rightly Adroit

Adventures in Etymology – Rightly Adroit

May 9, 2026 · 2 min

About this episode

This episode explores the etymology of the word 'adroit' and its related terms.

In this Adventure in Etymology we deftly discover the right roots of the word adroit. Adroit [əˈdɹɔɪt] means deft, dexterous or skillful. Related words include adroitness (skillfulness or ease of ability), and maladroit (awkward, clumsy, inept). It comes from French adroit (skilful, apt, skilled), from à (to) and droit (right, law, right angle), so could […]

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Host: Simon Ager

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Organizations: French

Books & works: Adventures in Etymology, adroit, adroitness, maladroit

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