# deft

> English word · Adjective · IPA /dɛft/ · frequency rank #34,012

## Definitions
1. Quick and neat in action; skillful.

## Etymology
From Middle English defte, daft (“gentle”), from Old English dæfte (“mild, gentle, meek”), from Proto-West Germanic *daftī (“fitting, suitable”), derived from *dabaną (“to be suitable”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰh₂ebʰ- (“fitting, fit together”). Near cognates include Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌳𐍉𐍆𐍃 (gadōfs, “suitable”), West Frisian deftich (“distinguished”), Dutch deftig (“distinguished”), German deftig (“coarse”). Further cognates include Russian добро (dobro, “wealth, good”) and Latin faber (“craftsman; skillful”). Doublet of daft.

## Easily confused with
- **DT** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deft-vs-dt)
- **del** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deft-vs-del)
- **Des** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deft-vs-des)
- **der** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deft-vs-der)
- **dot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deft-vs-dot)
- **den** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deft-vs-den)
- **dem** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deft-vs-dem)
- **dev** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deft-vs-dev)
- **dew** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deft-vs-dew)
- **DEI** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deft-vs-dei)
- **dex** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deft-vs-dex)
- **dey** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deft-vs-dey)
- **deo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deft-vs-deo)
- **dep** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deft-vs-dep)
- **dit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deft-vs-dit)
- **DFW** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deft-vs-dfw)
- **DFS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deft-vs-dfs)
- **dif** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deft-vs-dif)
- **DMT** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deft-vs-dmt)
- **dont** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deft-vs-dont)

## Common misspellings (6)
`ddeft`, `defft`, `deftt`, `detf`, `dfet`, `edft`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/deft