Glam Up Your Vocab: Smarter Than ‘Smart’ It’s a simple equation: girl + geek = chic. “Smart” is always nice to hear — but what do you really mean by it? Here are our favorite words to compliment girls’ ability, craftiness, wisdom, clarity, directness, ingenuity and quickness on our feet. 1. Brilliant: It’s hard to find a greater compliment than this adjective, which calls to mind ingenious scientific discoveries and the finest cut of diamonds. 2. Clever: We’d like to think there’s a DIY-goddess-meets-MacGyver in all of us. This gem is sure to flatter our craftiness. 3. Adept: Meaning “very able,” this word honors the fact that we can do anything we set our minds to … and probably better than you can. 4. Incisive: That girl in class or in the boardroom making the “remarkably clear and direct” points, and thereby crushing your argument? Oh, yes. That would be us. 5. Witty: We already silenced “that guy” with our fast quips and breadth of knowledge — who’s next?? Nicole Lapin is the founder and CEO of Nothing But Gold Productions, a multi-media company that creates accessible financial content for TV, print and digital outlets. She is also the editor-in-chief of Recessionista.com, the only online destination that provides non-judgey female-focused money news. Sources say she was the youngest anchor ever on CNN and CNBC. Follow her on Twitter @nicolelapin. Nicole Lapin Nicole Lapin is the founder and CEO of Nothing But Gold Productions, a multi-media company that creates accessible financial content for TV, print and digital outlets. She is also the editor-in-chief of Recessionista.com, the only online destination that provides non-judgey female-focused money news. Sources say she was the youngest anchor ever on CNN and CNBC.