feat
noun
Feat — a notable deed, performed with skill worth remarking upon
Definition
A notable achievement; "he performed a great feat"; "the book was her finest effort"
In depth
A feat is a notable achievement, an act distinguished enough by its difficulty, daring, or skill to warrant attention and admiration. The word carries a sense of singular performance, often physical or technical, the kind of accomplishment that draws an audience's notice precisely because it was not easy.
Origin
The word descends from Old French fait, a deed or act, ultimately from Latin factum, a thing done, the same root that gives English 'fact' and 'factory.' That shared origin with 'fact' is a quiet reminder that a feat, etymologically, is simply a fact made by deliberate doing — something brought into being rather than merely observed.
Usage examples
"He performed a great feat of memory, reciting the entire poem without a single misstep."
"Climbing the mountain in winter, without supplemental oxygen, remained the expedition's defining feat."
"It was, she realized, a small feat simply to have survived the year at all."
How to use it
Feat suits descriptions of skill, athleticism, or daring across nearly any register, from sports journalism to epic narrative. It works especially well when paired with a specific qualifying phrase — a feat of memory, a feat of engineering — that names exactly what kind of skill is being praised.
Related concepts
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