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ambiguity

am·bi·gu·i·ty
A a

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • UK Pronunciation
    • UK IPA
    • [am-bi-gyoo-i-tee]
    • /ˌæm bɪˈgyu ɪ ti/
    • /ˌæm.bɪˈɡjuː.ɪ.ti/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [am-bi-gyoo-i-tee]
    • /ˌæm bɪˈgyu ɪ ti/

Definitions of ambiguity word

  • variable noun ambiguity If you say that there is ambiguity in something, you mean that it is unclear or confusing, or it can be understood in more than one way. 3
  • variable noun ambiguity If you say that there is an ambiguity in a situation or in someone's character, you mean that it contains several different qualities or attitudes which do not fit well together. 3
  • noun ambiguity the possibility of interpreting an expression in two or more distinct ways 3
  • noun ambiguity an instance of this, as in the sentence they are cooking apples 3
  • noun ambiguity vagueness or uncertainty of meaning 3
  • noun ambiguity the quality or state of being ambiguous 3

Information block about the term

Origin of ambiguity

First appearance:

before 1375
One of the 22% oldest English words
1375-1425; late Middle English ambiguite < Latin ambiguitās, equivalent to ambigu(us) ambiguous + -itās -ity

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Ambiguity

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation

ambiguity popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 90% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

ambiguity usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for ambiguity

noun ambiguity

  • vagueness — (of persons) not clear or definite in thought, understanding, or expression: vague about his motives; a vague person.
  • doubt — to be uncertain about; consider questionable or unlikely; hesitate to believe.
  • uncertainty — the state of being uncertain; doubt; hesitancy: His uncertainty gave impetus to his inquiry.
  • obscurity — the state or quality of being obscure.
  • puzzle — a toy, problem, or other contrivance designed to amuse by presenting difficulties to be solved by ingenuity or patient effort.

Antonyms for ambiguity

noun ambiguity

  • clarity — The clarity of something such as a book or argument is its quality of being well explained and easy to understand.
  • clearness — free from darkness, obscurity, or cloudiness; light: a clear day.
  • lucidity — the quality of being easily understood, completely intelligible, or comprehensible: She makes her argument with pointed logic and exemplary lucidity.
  • certainty — Certainty is the state of being definite or of having no doubts at all about something.
  • definiteness — clearly defined or determined; not vague or general; fixed; precise; exact: a definite quantity; definite directions.

Top questions with ambiguity

  • what does ambiguity mean?
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See also

Matching words

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