agility
uh-JIL-ih-tee
/əˈdʒɪlɪti/
The ability to move quickly and easily; the ability to think and understand quickly.
It combines speed with coordination and balance, rather than just raw velocity.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'agilis,' meaning 'nimble' or 'quick,' which comes from 'agere,' meaning 'to do' or 'to move.' It’s about being ready for action.
Word relationships
- nimbleness: Nimbleness often refers to small, light movements, while agility can refer to the whole body's movement.
- dexterity: Dexterity usually refers to skill with the hands, while agility refers to the whole body.
- clumsiness: Clumsiness is a lack of coordination, the direct opposite of agility.
- lethargy: Lethargy is a lack of energy and speed, whereas agility requires both.
Commonly confused with
- speed: Speed is how fast you go in a straight line; agility is how well you can change direction while moving fast.
Word family
- agile (adjective): Able to move quickly and easily.
Collocations
- mental agility
- physical agility
- agility drill
Example sentences
- "The gymnast's agility allowed her to perform complex flips with seemingly no effort." Describing an athlete.
- "In a rapidly changing market, mental agility is more important than years of experience." Metaphorical use in business.
Memory hook
An 'agile' person is always 'acting' and 'moving.' Agility = Ability to move.
When not to use
Don't use it for just 'speed' (like a car); it requires a living being's graceful movement.
Fun facts
- Agility training is a specific sport for dogs, where they navigate obstacle courses.
Explore more words
Also appears in
- Leadership → Adaptability in Crisis
- Business → Corporate Culture
- Engineering & Industrial Design → Supply Chain Engineering
- 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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