ambiguity
noun /ˌæmbɪˈɡjuːəti/
/ˌæmbɪˈɡjuːəti/
(plural ambiguities)
- [uncountable] the state of having more than one possible meaning
- Write clear definitions in order to avoid ambiguity.
- A lot of humour depends on ambiguity.
Extra Examples- Incorrect choice of words leads to ambiguity for the reader.
- There is a degree of ambiguity in this statement.
- There was some ambiguity in what he said.
- They had to change some of the wording in the document to resolve the ambiguity.
- the inherent ambiguity of language
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- certain
- possible
- potential
- …
- degree
- element
- lead to
- avoid
- clarify
- …
- arise
- occur
- surround
- …
- ambiguity about
- ambiguity in
- a source of ambiguity
- [countable] a word or statement that can be understood in more than one way
- There were several inconsistencies and ambiguities in her speech.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- certain
- possible
- potential
- …
- degree
- element
- lead to
- avoid
- clarify
- …
- arise
- occur
- surround
- …
- ambiguity about
- ambiguity in
- a source of ambiguity
- [uncountable, countable] the state of being difficult to understand or explain because of involving many different aspects
- You must understand the ambiguity of my position.
- There will always be some ambiguity about what actually happened.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- certain
- possible
- potential
- …
- degree
- element
- lead to
- avoid
- clarify
- …
- arise
- occur
- surround
- …
- ambiguity about
- ambiguity in
- a source of ambiguity
Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French ambiguite or Latin ambiguitas, from ambiguus ‘doubtful’ (from ambigere ‘waver, go around’, from ambi- ‘both ways’ + agere ‘to drive’).