Lexic.us

Definition of Ambiguous

1. Adjective. Open to two or more interpretations; or of uncertain nature or significance; or (often) intended to mislead. "An equivocal response to an embarrassing question"

2. Adjective. Having more than one possible meaning. "Frustrated by ambiguous instructions, the parents were unable to assemble the toy"

3. Adjective. Having no intrinsic or objective meaning; not organized in conventional patterns. "Ambiguous inkblots"

Definition of Ambiguous

1. a. Doubtful or uncertain, particularly in respect to signification; capable of being understood in either of two or more possible senses; equivocal; as, an ambiguous course; an ambiguous expression.

Definition of Ambiguous

1. Adjective. Open to multiple interpretations. ¹

2. Adjective. Vague and unclear. ¹

3. Adjective. Of persons: hesitant; uncertain; not taking sides. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Ambiguous

1. [adj]

Medical Definition of Ambiguous

1. Doubtful or uncertain, particularly in respect to signification; capable of being understood in either of two or more possible senses; equivocal; as, an ambiguous course; an ambiguous expression. "What have been thy answers? What but dark, Ambiguous, and with double sense deluding?" (Milton) Synonym: Doubtful, dubious, uncertain, unsettled, indistinct, indeterminate, indefinite. See Equivocal. Origin: L. Ambiguus, fr. Ambigere to wander about, waver; amb- + agere to drive. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Ambiguous

ambigender ambigendered ambigenous ambigram ambigrams ambiguate ambiguated ambiguates ambiguating ambiguation

ambiguations ambiguine ambiguines ambiguities ambiguity ambiguous (current term) ambiguous atrioventricular connections ambiguous codon ambiguous nucleus ambiguously

ambiguousness ambiguousnesses ambilaevous ambilateral ambilevous ambilineal ambilocal ambilocality ambiloquies

Literary usage of Ambiguous

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of English Usage by Inc. Merriam-Webster (1994)
"ambiguous had earlier been used for analogous situations; consequently, ... will be called by some of my friends ambiguous, or perhaps—since the word is now ..."

2. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London by Royal Society (Great Britain) (1864)
"Thus every uneven ambiguous class contains eight ambiguous forms. Combining this result with the preceding we obtain the Theorem, " The number of uneven ..."

3. Argumentation and Debating by William Trufant Foster (1917)
"H. THE PROPOSITION SHOULD NOT EMPLOY ambiguous TERMS The proposition should not hinge on the ... Even books on debate commend ambiguous propositions, ..."

4. Crabb's English Synonyms by George. Crabb (1917)
"ambiguous coolness, penetration, loyalty, and I patriotism. ... ambiguous, in Latin ambiguus, from am- bigo, compounded of ambo, both, and agere, to act, ..."

5. Notes and Queries by Martim de Albuquerque (1857)
"By this ambiguous response he was deceived ; so that he postponed repentance in the hope of long life. lie diil not perceive that there is at Rome a church ..."

Other Resources: