agility
uh-JIL-ih-tee
/əˈdʒɪlɪti/
The ability to move quickly and easily, either physically or mentally.
Refers to speed and grace in changing directions or thoughts, emphasizing nimbleness over raw strength.
The story behind the word. From Latin agilitas, from agilis 'nimble, quick to act,' from agere 'to do, drive, act.' It originally referred to physical nimbleness, but now describes mental and organizational speed.
Word relationships
- nimbleness: Nimbleness often refers to small, precise movements, while agility can apply to large-scale strategic shifts.
- rigidity: Rigidity is the inability to bend or change direction.
Commonly confused with
- speed: Speed is how fast you move in one direction; agility is how fast you can change directions.
Word family
- agile (adjective): Able to move quickly and easily.
- agilely (adverb): In an agile manner.
Collocations
- mental agility
- business agility
- physical agility
Idioms & expressions
- light on one's feet
Example sentences
- "The tech company's organizational agility allowed it to beat larger competitors to the market." Corporate adaptability
Memory hook
Think of an 'agile' gymnast who can 'act' and adjust their body mid-air with perfect grace. Nimble action in any direction.
When not to use
Do not use when you mean raw speed in a straight line; agility requires the ability to change directions rapidly.
Fun facts
- 'Agile' is now a formal software development methodology focused on iterative progress and extreme flexibility.
Explore more words
Also appears in
- Business → Corporate Culture
- Engineering & Industrial Design → Supply Chain Engineering
- Sports, Athletics & Recreation → Combat Sports & Martial Arts
- Sports, Athletics & Recreation → Winter & Ice Sports
- Sports, Athletics & Recreation → Racket & Court Sports
- Sports, Athletics & Recreation → Gymnastics & Acrobatics
- Pets & Animals (Domestic) → Animal Training & Behavior
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