cumbersome

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word cumbersome. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word cumbersome, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say cumbersome in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word cumbersome you have here. The definition of the word cumbersome will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofcumbersome, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

English

Etymology

From Middle English cumbyrsum, cummyrsum; equivalent to cumber (“hindrance”) +‎ -some. Compare encumber and incumbent.

Pronunciation

Adjective

cumbersome (comparative more cumbersome, superlative most cumbersome)

  1. Burdensome or hindering, as if a weight or drag; vexatious.
    • 1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter VII, in Francesca Carrara. , volume III, London: Richard Bentley, , (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 54:
      "You can throw off your cumbersome disguise here," said Lucy, though the words could scarcely be distinguished, from her excessive agitation, Evelyn hastily caught up a cloak and cap laid ready for him, and a few minutes brought them into the sitting-room.
  2. Not easily managed or handled; awkward; clumsy.
    Cumbersome machines can endanger operators and slow down production.
  3. Hard, difficult, demanding to handle or get around with.
    A slave’s work was as cumbersome as toiling on the fields, or in the mines.
  4. Inert, lumbering, slow in movement.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked
Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia