ambiguity

noun

(uncountable) The state of being ambiguous; the state of leaving room for more than one interpretation.

(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.

Roots

ambiambi- · Latin · around, both ago-gu · Latin · do, drive

Synonyms for ambiguity

equivocalnessn amphibologyn equivocalityn amphibolyn vaguenessn equivoque equivocationn uncertaintyn ambivalencen indistinctnessn indefinitenessn equivocaladj inconsistencyn imprecisionn inconclusivenessn

Synonyms & related words for ambiguity

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of ambiguity — including equivocalness, amphibology, equivocality, amphiboly, vagueness, equivoque. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to ambiguity

Explore words related to ambiguity — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include ambiguous, amphibolous, fuzziness, polysemy, indeterminacy, polysemous, indetermination, haziness. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for ambiguity

Common synonyms for ambiguity include equivocalness, amphibology, equivocality, amphiboly, vagueness, equivoque, equivocation, uncertainty — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does ambiguity come from?

The word ambiguity breaks down into 2 roots of Latin origin: ambi-, from Latin ambi (“around, both”); and -gu, from Latin ago (“do, drive”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.