ambiguity

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ambiguity

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From Middle English ambiguite, from Old French ambiguite (French ambiguïté), from Latin ambiguitas, equivalent to ambiguous +‎ -ity.

• IPA^(key): /æm.bɪˈɡjuː.ɪ.ti/
• (weak vowel merger) IPA^(key): /ˌæm.bəˈɡjuː.ə.ti/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -uːɪti
• Hyphenation: am‧bi‧gu‧i‧ty

ambiguity (countable and uncountable, plural ambiguities)

1. (uncountable) The state of being ambiguous.

   His speech was made with such great ambiguity that neither supporter nor opponent could be certain of his true position.

   • 1513, Henry Bradshaw, edited by Edward Hawkins, The Holy Lyfe and History of Saynt Werburge: Very Frutefull for All Christen People to Rede (Remains Historical & Literary Connected with the Palatine Counties of Lancaster and Chester Published by The Chetham Society; volume XV), The Chetham Society, published 1848:

     Whan this ſayd monument diſcouered was / Suche a ſuauite and fragrant odoure / Aſcended from the corps by ſingular grace / Paſſyng all worldly ſwetnes and ſauour / That all there present that day and hour / Suppoſed they had ben / in the felicite / Of erthely paradiſe / without ambiguite.

2. (countable) An instance of this state: words or statements that are open to more than one interpretation, explanation or meaning, especially if that meaning cannot be determined from the context.
   • 2024, Geoffrey K. Pullum, The Truth About English Grammar, Polity Press, →ISBN, page 96:

     For people who would rather face a plague of locusts than permit an avoidable ambiguity, this is like having their underwear twisted. You may think we should say to such people, “Get a life.” By all means tell them that. I’m neither making these rules up nor trying to enforce them; my job in this book is to point out to you what seems to be the current state of the language and its speakers."

• (state of being ambiguous): ambiguousness, imprecision, polysemy
• weasel word

• unambiguity

• ambiguous