MASTERFUL

adjective Date: 15th century 1. inclined and usually competent to act as master, suggestive of a domineering nature, having or reflecting the power and skill of a master, ~ly adverb ~ness noun Synonyms: see: ~ Usage: Some commentators insist that use of ~ should be limited to sense 1 in order to preserve a distinction between it and masterly. The distinction is a modern one, excogitated by a 20th century pundit in disregard of the history of the word. Both words developed in a parallel manner but the earlier sense of masterly, equivalent to ~ 1, dropped out of use. Since masterly had but one sense, the pundit opined that it would be tidy if ~ were likewise limited to one sense and he forthwith condemned use of ~ 2 as an error. Sense 2 of ~, which is slightly older than the sense of masterly intended to replace it, has continued in reputable use all along; it cannot rationally be called an error.