apt

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /æpt/

• Audio (General American):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -æpt

Adjective

apt (comparative apter or more apt, superlative aptest or most apt)

1. Suitable; appropriate; fit or fitted; suited.

   Synonyms: appropriate, meet, suitable; see also Thesaurus:pertinent, Thesaurus:suitable

   an apt metaphor

   apt punishment

   • 1678, Antiquitates Christianæ: Or, the History of the Life and Death of the Holy Jesus: […], London: […] E. Flesher, and R. Norton, for R[ichard] Royston, […], →OCLC:

     a river […] apt to be forded by a lamb

   • 1755, Callimachus, “The First Hymn of Callimachus. To Jupiter.”, in William Dodd, transl., The Hymns of Callimachus, […], London: […] The translator [William Dodd], […], →OCLC, page 1:

     While we to Jove the pure libations pay, / Than Jove what apter claims the hallow'd lay?

2. (of persons or things) Having a habitual tendency; habitually liable or likely; disposed towards.

   Synonyms: disposed, inclined, liable, predisposed, tending towards; see also Thesaurus:inclined

   • 1874, John Lubbock, Scientific Lectures / On Plants and Insects:

     This tree, if unprotected, is apt to be stripped of its leaves by a leaf-cutting ant.

   • 1886, Frederic Harrison, The Choice of Books:

     that lofty pity with which prosperous folk are apt to remember their grandfathers

   • 1961 November 10, Joseph Heller, “The Soldier in White”, in Catch-22 […], New York, N.Y.: Simon and Schuster, →OCLC, page 168:

     Since sick people were apt to be present, he could not always depend on a lively young crowd in the same ward with him, and the entertainment was not always good.

3. Ready; especially fitted or qualified (to do something); quick to learn.

   Synonyms: fit, prompt, expert, qualified, ready; see also Thesaurus:skilled

   a pupil apt to learn

   an apt scholar

   • 1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:

     Fulfill your pleasure. Live a thousand years, / I shall not find myself so apt to die.

Alternative forms

• apt.

Pronunciation

As with apartment.

Noun

apt (plural apts)

1. Abbreviation of apartment.
   • 2010, David Dondero, Just a Baby in Your Momma's Eyes:

     Where our apt used to be they built a fancy condominium high-rise.
     Which at a lowly income none of us could ever really quite afford.

Declension