In Latin, “habilis” means something is easily handled — it’s the root word of both “able” and “habile,” but there are nuances between the pair. “Able” is the more commonly used synonym, but “habile” remains a particularly skillful word. The pronunciations of the two words are somewhat similar (“ay-bl” and “ha-buhl”), and the meanings are close. “Able” implies someone has a competent ability to do something, but “habile” ramps up the skill level to advanced or even expert.