different between handy vs versatile

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English handy, hondi (attested in personal names), alteration of earlier hendi (“handy, skillful”), from Old English hendi? (“skillful”) (as in listhendi? (“skilled in art”)), from Proto-Germanic *handugaz (“handy, skillful, nimble”), from *handuz (“hand”), equivalent to hand +? -y. Cognate with Middle Low German handich (“skillful, apt”), Middle High German handec, hendec (“manual, hand-held”), Old Norse h?ndugr (“efficient”), Gothic ???????????????????????????? (handugs, “wise, clever”). Akin to Dutch handig (“handy”), Norwegian hendig (“handy”), Swedish händig (“handy”).

Pronunciation

• enPR: h?n'di, IPA^(key): /?hæn.di/
• Rhymes: -ændi

Adjective

handy (comparative handier, superlative handiest)

1. Easy to use, useful.

2. Nearby, within reach.

   Synonym: at hand

3. Of a person: dexterous, skilful.

   Synonym: crafty

4. (slang) Physically violent; tending to use one's fists.
5. Of a freight ship: having a small cargo capacity (less than 40,000 DWT); belonging to the handysize class.

Derived terms

• handily
• handiness
• unhandy

Antonyms

• awkward

Translations

References

• handy in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• handy in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• handy at OneLook Dictionary Search

Etymology 2

hand +? -y (“diminutive suffix”)

Noun

handy (plural handies)

1. (vulgar, slang) A hand job.

Translations

Etymology 3

Clipping of handgun +? -y (“diminutive suffix”)

Noun

handy (plural handies)

1. (MLE, slang) A handgun.

Translations

Anagrams

• Haydn

Scots

Adjective

handy (comparative handier, superlative handiest)

1. handy
2. dexterous, skilful
3. amenable (of an animal)

English

Etymology

From Latin vers?tilis (“turning easily”), from vers?tus, past participle of vers? (“I turn, change”), frequentative of vert? (“I turn”).

Pronunciation

• (General American, Canada) IPA^(key): /?v?s?tl?/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?v??s?ta?l/, [?v??s?ta??]

Adjective

versatile (comparative more versatile, superlative most versatile)

1. Capable of doing many things competently.
2. Having varied uses or many functions.
3. Changeable or inconstant.
4. (biology) Capable of moving freely in all directions.
5. (BDSM) Being a switch; capable of taking either a dominant or a submissive role.
   • 2004, "queenchaser1158", Horny Versatile TV/TS Wanted in Phoenix (on newsgroup alt.personals.gay)
6. (gay slang) Capable of taking either a penetrative (top) or receptive (bottom) role in anal sex.

Derived terms

• versatility

Translations

Further reading

• versatile in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• versatile in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• versatile at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• levirates, relatives

French

Etymology

From Latin vers?tilis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /v??.sa.til/

Adjective

versatile (plural versatiles)

1. versatile; easily changeable
2. indecisive

Derived terms

• versatilité

Further reading

• “versatile” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Italian

Etymology

From Latin versatilis, from versare (“to turn, to twist”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ver?sa.ti.le/

Adjective

versatile (plural versatili)

1. versatile
2. all-round, all around, multiskilled

Derived terms

• versatilità

Anagrams

• laveresti, rilevaste, rivaleste, rivelaste, servitela, versateli

Latin

Adjective

vers?tile

1. nominative neuter singular of vers?tilis
2. accusative neuter singular of vers?tilis
3. vocative neuter singular of vers?tilis

Romanian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /versa?tile/

Adjective

versatile f pl or n pl

1. nominative feminine plural of versatil
2. accusative feminine plural of versatil
3. nominative neuter plural of versatil
4. accusative neuter plural of versatil