mästerligt

Mästerligt is a Swedish adverb meaning in a masterly manner or in a masterful way, describing actions performed with high skill, control and artistry. It often conveys admiration for the performer’s technique and interpretive insight. Grammatically it is derived from the adjective mästerlig (masterful) and the suffix -ligt that forms adverbs; the noun form is mästerlighet (mastery).

Etymology traces mäster to the noun mäster or master, with cognates in other Germanic languages. The term is closely related to the adjective mästerlig, from which it forms the adverb.

In usage, mästerligt is common in criticism, journalism, and formal writing, and appears in reviews of music, sports, cooking, crafts and performances. It implies more than competence; it signals a seamless, deliberate execution that demonstrates a high level of mastery. It can be used both descriptively and evaluatively.

Examples include: "Hon spelade piano mästerligt" (She played the piano masterfully), "Kocken tillagade rätten mästerligt" (The chef prepared the dish masterfully), or "En mästerlig uppvisning" (A masterful performance) where the noun form is used. The term is generally positive and formal, and may appear in praising contexts as well as analytical assessments of technique.

See also: mästerlig, mästerlighet, duktig, skicklig.