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swift-footed

swift-footed

5.2
Able to run very quickly on foot
  • adjective
  • /ˈswɪftˌfʊtɪd/
translation icon : rápido de pies
  • The cheetah is known for being swift-footed when chasing its prey.

Examples

  • In the race, only the swift-footed runners reached the finish line first.

  • With me is last year's champion, Hermes, the swift footed messenger of the Greek gods.

  • The swift-footed courier delivered the message in record time.

Synonyms

quick
vsswift-footed
183 1.0

Able to move fast and lightly

is specifically about rapid foot movement, not general motion
agile
vsswift-footed
23 3.7

Able to move quickly and easily like a gymnast

is focused on foot speed rather than whole body agility
nimble
vsswift-footed
20 4.4

Able to move quickly and easily

highlights fast feet specifically rather than general lightness
snappy
vsswift-footed
15 3.7

Quick and energetic in movement or action

focuses on very fast feet rather than brisk energetic style
light on one's feet
vsswift-footed
  • Informal
4 4.8

Can move quickly and lightly like a dancer

emphasizes easy graceful movement more than sheer foot speed
fast-footed
vsswift-footed
1 4.8

Able to move the feet quickly and easily

is the same in meaning but uses a different word form
light-footed
vsswift-footed
1 4.2

Moving quickly and quietly with small graceful steps

focuses more on speed rather than graceful stepping

How Fast

swift-footed
5.2
quick
183 1.0
slow
1.0
sluggish
30 3.9

Surface Forms

swift-footed positive

Morphology

swift-footed = swift + foot (transparent) = swift + foot + ed

Formed from the compound 'swift' + 'foot' with the productive adjectival suffix '-ed' meaning 'having (such) feet', so the meaning is directly inferable.

Etymology

Swift-footed simply joins the everyday words swift ('moving quickly') and foot ('foot'), and poets often used the phrase for quick runners or messengers in old stories. So, swift-footed means someone who is 'able to move very quickly on foot'.