Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

proficient

/pɹoʊˈfɪʃ.ənt/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.29 in modern English

Syllables: pro-fi-cient
IPA: /pɹoʊˈfɪʃ.ənt/

17

Scrabble Score

10

Letters

3

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Good at something; skilled; fluent; practiced, especially in relation to a task or skill.

noun

Example Sentences

"He was a proficient writer with an interest in human nature."
"By constant playing and experimenting with these he learned to tie rude knots, and make sliding nooses; and with these he and the younger apes amused themselves. What Tarzan did they tried to do also, but he alone originated and became proficient."
"The colonel now addressed me, […] adding, "I hope we shall send you to your regiment up the country quite a proficient, and calculated to reflect credit on your instructors in the Zubberdust Bullumteers.""
"Why not subpoena as well the clerical proficients?"

Etymology

From Latin proficiens, present participle of proficere (“to go forward, advance, make progress, succeed, be profitable or useful”), from pro (“forth, forward”) + facere (“to make, do”); see fact.

Word Breakdown

Root: *per-

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /pɹoʊˈfɪʃ.ənt/
British English: /pɹəˈfɪʃ.ənt/

Inflected Forms

more proficient (comparative) most proficient (superlative) proficients (plural)

Derived Forms

haploproficient hyperproficient nonproficient overproficient proficience proficiency proficiently proficientness superproficient underproficient unproficient

Frequently Paired Words

profit profitability profitable profiteer proficiency

Synonyms

skilled fluent practiced expert adept good skillful skilful

Rhymes With

efficient sufficient self-sufficient insufficient inefficient coefficient deficient omniscient beneficent cost-efficient immunodeficient haploinsufficient

Questions

How do you pronounce proficient?: The recorded pronunciation is /pɹoʊˈfɪʃ.ənt/.
What does proficient mean?: Good at something; skilled; fluent; practiced, especially in relation to a task or skill.
Where does proficient come from?: From Latin proficiens, present participle of proficere (“to go forward, advance, make progress, succeed, be profitable or useful”), from pro (“forth, forward”) + facere (“to make, do”); see fact.

How to pronounce proficient

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “proficient”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/pɹoʊˈfɪʃ.ənt/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “proficient”.
Repeat and practice — Say “proficient” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.