ambiguous
/æmˈbɪɡju.əs/
adjective
Origin
Latin
ambiguus — doubtful, uncertain, wavering
Overview
Meaning Now
- Open to more than one interpretation; having a double meaning.
- Unclear or inexact because a choice between alternatives has not been made.
Literal older meaning
wandering about
Language path
Latin → English
Earliest form
ambiguus
Earliest period
16th century
Journey
The word reflects the Latin philosophical tradition of 'ambigere', which described a state of being pulled in two directions. It implies a 'wandering' of the mind between two or more logical possibilities, a concept frequently debated in classical rhetoric.
Evolution
- Latin
ambigere
“to wander, to go about, to dispute”
Formed from ambi- (around) + agere (to drive/do).
- Late Latin
ambiguus
“uncertain, doubtful”
- Middle French
ambigu
“uncertain”
- 16th Century English
ambiguous
“having more than one possible meaning”
Adopted into English from French/Latin.
Connections
Word parts
ambi-
prefix
around, on both sides
agere
root
to drive, to act
-uous
suffix
characterized by
Related across languages
French
ambigu
ambiguous
Italian
ambiguo
ambiguous
Related words
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Related to ambiguous
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.