The most skillful, nimble, and quick in movement or action; superlative form of deft.
Superlative form of 'deft,' which comes from Middle English daft meaning 'mild' or 'gentle,' later evolving to mean skillful. The -est suffix marks it as the highest degree of the quality.
The word 'deft' transformed from meaning 'gentle' to 'skillful' because people noticed that the gentlest, most careful handlers of delicate things were also the most skilled—calmness and precision go hand-in-hand.
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