DEXTERITY

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does dexterity mean? 

• DEXTERITY (noun)
  The noun DEXTERITY has 1 sense:

1. adroitness in using the hands

  Familiarity information: DEXTERITY used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DEXTERITY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Adroitness in using the hands

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

dexterity; manual dexterity; sleight

Hypernyms ("dexterity" is a kind of...):

adeptness; adroitness; deftness; facility; quickness (skillful performance or ability without difficulty)

Derivation:

dextrous (skillful in physical movements; especially of the hands)

 Context examples 

The Houyhnhnms use the hollow part, between the pastern and the hoof of their fore-foot, as we do our hands, and this with greater dexterity than I could at first imagine.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

A manipulative dexterity test using a pegboard device with five rows of five holes.

(Grooved Pegboard Test, NCI Thesaurus)

In such combats, as well as in the more formal sports of the tilting-yard, Tranter had won a name for strength and dexterity which had caused Norbury to utter his well-meant warning.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Dr. Seward tried one or two skeleton keys, his mechanical dexterity as a surgeon standing him in good stead.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Mr. Micawber, with a perfect miracle of dexterity or luck, caught his advancing knuckles with the ruler, and disabled his right hand.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Meg, in the other boat, was delightfully situated, face to face with the rowers, who both admired the prospect and feathered their oars with uncommon 'skill and dexterity'.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

His left leg was cut off close by the hip, and under the left shoulder he carried a crutch, which he managed with wonderful dexterity, hopping about upon it like a bird.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

This he did, and he quickly achieved for them a mighty contempt. They were soft and helpless, made much noise, and floundered around clumsily trying to accomplish by main strength what he accomplished by dexterity and cunning.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

Catherine, delighted at so happy an escape, spoke her pleasure aloud with grateful surprise; and her companion immediately made the matter perfectly simple by assuring her that it was entirely owing to the peculiarly judicious manner in which he had then held the reins, and the singular discernment and dexterity with which he had directed his whip.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

When the Westons arrived, the kindest looks of love, the strongest of admiration were for her, from both husband and wife; the son approached her with a cheerful eagerness which marked her as his peculiar object, and at dinner she found him seated by her—and, as she firmly believed, not without some dexterity on his side.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)