precariousness

pre·car·i·ous

P p

Transcription

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
- [pri-kair-ee-uh s]
- /prɪˈkɛər i əs/
- /prɪˈk.eə.rɪə.snɪs/

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- [pri-kair-ee-uh s]
- /prɪˈkɛər i əs/

Definitions of precariousness word

adjective precariousness dependent on circumstances beyond one's control; uncertain; unstable; insecure: a precarious livelihood. 1
adjective precariousness dependent on the will or pleasure of another; liable to be withdrawn or lost at the will of another: He held a precarious tenure under an arbitrary administration. 1
adjective precariousness exposed to or involving danger; dangerous; perilous; risky: the precarious life of an underseas diver. 1
adjective precariousness having insufficient, little, or no foundation: a precarious assumption. 1

See all 4 definitions of precariousness

Information block about the term

Origin of precariousness

First appearance:

before 1640

One of the 44% oldest English words

First recorded in 1640-50, precarious is from the Latin word precārius “obtained by entreaty or mere favor” (hence uncertain). See prayer1

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Precariousness

noun

adjective

verb

adverb

pronoun

preposition

conjunction

determiner

exclamation

Full grammatical hierarchy of Precariousness

precariousness popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 74% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.

According to our data about 60% of words is more used. This is a rare but used term. It occurs in the pages of specialized literature and in the speech of educated people.

precariousness usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for precariousness

noun precariousness

capriciousness — subject to, led by, or indicative of a sudden, odd notion or unpredictable change; erratic: He's such a capricious boss I never know how he'll react.
changeability — liable to change or to be changed; variable.
danger — Danger is the possibility that someone may be harmed or killed.
disequilibrium — lack of equilibrium; imbalance.
double-trouble — a very troublesome thing or person.

All 19 Synonyms of precariousness

Matching words

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