Nimble

Nimble

Adjective · /ˈnɪm.bəl/

Definition

Quick and light in movement; agile; (of the mind) able to think and understand quickly and clearly; clever and quick in thinking and action; (of a business or process) able to adapt quickly to changing conditions.

Origin

From Old English næmel (quick to grasp, quick at taking) from niman (to take, seize), from Proto-Germanic *nemaną (to take), related to German nehmen (to take), Gothic niman. The original Old English sense being quick at taking or catching — physically dexterous. The sense of mental agility developing naturally from physical quickness. The word appearing in Middle English as nimel, then nimble. The related word nimble-fingered preserving the original concrete sense most clearly.