Multitalented means having multiple distinct abilities or skills that you're good at. A multitalented person might excel at playing piano, coding computer programs, and playing soccer, all at the same time.

The word combines “multi” (meaning many) with “talented” (naturally good at something). Someone multitalented doesn't just dabble in different activities: they've developed real skill in several different areas. Your art teacher might be multitalented if she also writes poetry and builds furniture in her spare time.

Being multitalented is different from being a jack-of-all-trades (someone who knows a little about everything). A multitalented person has genuine expertise in multiple fields. Leonardo da Vinci was famously multitalented: he painted masterpieces, designed flying machines, studied anatomy, and engineered buildings.

You might also hear people described as multi-talented (with a hyphen) or as having multiple talents. All three versions mean the same thing. Sometimes people use multifaceted similarly, though that word emphasizes having many different aspects or dimensions, not just specific skills.