[dex.ter.ous] also dex.trous adj [L dextr-, dexter on the right side, skillful] (1622) 1: mentally adroit and skillful: clever
2: done with dexterity: artful
3: skillful and competent with the hands -- dex.ter.ous.ly adv -- dex.ter.ous.ness n syn dexterous, adroit, deft mean ready and skilled in physical movement. dexterous implies expertness with consequent facility and quickness in manipulation "unrolled the sleeping bag with a dexterous toss". adroit implies dexterity but usu. also stresses resourcefulness or artfulness or inventiveness "the magician's adroit response to the failure of her prop won applause". deft emphasizes lightness, neatness, and sureness of touch or handling "a surgeon's deft manipulation of the scalpel".