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talented
/ˈtæl.ən.tɪd/
having natural skill or ability
She is a talented pianist who started playing at age five.
This means she has a natural ability to play the piano well.
neutral
Having a natural aptitude or skill for something.
The school encourages talented students to apply for scholarships.
This refers to students who have exceptional abilities.
He is a talented writer with a unique style.
This means he has a natural skill for writing.
Often used to describe innate abilities rather than learned skills.
Collocations
highly talentedvery skillednaturally talentedhaving innate abilitytalented artistan artist with natural skill
Synonyms
Antonyms
Pro Tip
Avoid overusing 'talented'
Instead of saying 'She is talented in singing,' consider 'She has a beautiful singing voice' or 'She sings beautifully' to sound more natural.
Gold Rule
Use 'talented' for innate abilities
Prefer 'talented' for natural skills (e.g., 'a talented musician') and 'skilled' for learned abilities (e.g., 'a skilled carpenter').
Word Origin
From Middle English 'talent' (meaning 'inclination, disposition'), from Old English 'talente' (borrowed from Latin 'talentum', meaning 'weight, unit of money, talent'). The sense of 'natural ability' developed in the 16th century.
Usage Notes
Commonly used to describe people who excel in artistic, creative, or intellectual fields. Avoid using it for physical abilities unless context clearly supports it.
Word Breakdown
talent
natural ability or aptitude
root-ed
adjective-forming suffix indicating possession of a quality
suffixEnglish Dictionary