Habilement

/ˈhæbəlmənt/ adverb

Definition

In a skillful or clever manner; with dexterity or ease.

Etymology

From Old French habilement, from habile (skillful) plus -ment (the suffix forming adverbs). This French-derived adverb became part of English in formal writing and has remained relatively rare.

Kelly Says

French adverbs ending in '-ment' are like English adverbs ending in '-ly'—they transform adjectives into ways of doing things. The fact that 'habilement' exists shows how medieval writers loved building words in elegant, logical ways.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.