zkuený

Zkuený is an adjective used in Czech and Slovak to describe someone who has gained experience or practical skill through time, work, or training. It is commonly translated as "experienced," "seasoned," or "veteran" and can apply to people as well as to methods or processes that are well established through experience.

Etymology and forms: In standard orthography, Czech uses zkušený (masculine), zkušená (feminine), zkušené (neuter), while Slovak uses skúsený, skúsená, skúsené. The term derives from related nouns for experience—zkušenost in Czech and skúsenosť in Slovak—and from the verb zkusit/ skúsiť (to try or to test). The prefix z- marks culmination or result, and the suffix -ný forms the adjective. The ASCII transcription zkuený may appear in non-diacritic texts but it is not the standard spelling in either language.

Usage: The adjective commonly describes people with considerable know-how, such as "zkušený lékař" (an experienced doctor) or "zkušený řidič" (an experienced driver). It can also qualify procedures or approaches, e.g., "zkušená metoda" (a well-established method). The degree can be intensified with comparative and superlative forms: Czech zkušenější, nejzkušenější; Slovak skúsenější, najskúsenější.

Notes: Diacritics are essential for correct spelling in formal writing. When diacritics are omitted, readers should infer the intended forms from context, but standard spellings remain з zkušený (Czech) or skúsený (Slovak). Related terms include zkušenost/ skúsenosť (experience) and related compounds.

See also: zkušenost, skúsenosť.