Definitions for ambiguous
æmˈbɪg yu əsam·bigu·ous

Princeton's WordNet(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. equivocal, ambiguousadjective

   open to two or more interpretations; or of uncertain nature or significance; or (often) intended to mislead

   "an equivocal statement"; "the polling had a complex and equivocal (or ambiguous) message for potential female candidates"; "the officer's equivocal behavior increased the victim's uneasiness"; "popularity is an equivocal crown"; "an equivocal response to an embarrassing question"

2. ambiguousadjective

   having more than one possible meaning

   "ambiguous words"; "frustrated by ambiguous instructions, the parents were unable to assemble the toy"

3. ambiguousadjective

   having no intrinsic or objective meaning; not organized in conventional patterns

   "an ambiguous situation with no frame of reference"; "ambiguous inkblots"

Wiktionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. ambiguousadjective

   Open to multiple interpretations.

   The politician was criticized for his ambiguous statements and lack of precision.

2. ambiguousadjective

   Vague and unclear.

   He gave an ambiguous answer.

3. ambiguousadjective

   Of persons: hesitant; uncertain; not taking sides.

   Thomas Salusbury (1662): And forasmuch as in this same question I am ambiguous, and Simplicius is resolute....

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. AMBIGUOUSadjective

   Etymology: ambiguus, Lat.

   1. Doubtful; having two meanings; of uncertain signification.

   But what have been thy answers, what but dark,
   Ambiguous, and with doubtful sense deluding. Par. Regain.

   Some expressions in the covenant were ambiguous, and were left so; because the persons who framed them, were not all of one mind. Edward Hyde, b. viii.

   2. Applied to persons using doubtful expressions. It is applied to expressions, or those that use them, not to a dubious, or suspended state of mind.

   Th’ ambiguous god, who rul’d her lab’ring breast,
   In these mysterious words his mind exprest;
   Some truths reveal’d, in terms involv’d the rest. Dryd.

   Silence at length the gay Antinous broke,
   Constrain’d a smile, and thus ambiguous spoke. Alexander Pope, Odyss.

Wikipedia(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. ambiguous

   Ambiguity is the type of meaning in which a phrase, statement or resolution is not explicitly defined, making several interpretations plausible. A common aspect of ambiguity is uncertainty. It is thus an attribute of any idea or statement whose intended meaning cannot be definitively resolved, according to a rule or process with a finite number of steps. (The ambi- part of the term reflects an idea of "two," as in "two meanings.") The concept of ambiguity is generally contrasted with vagueness. In ambiguity, specific and distinct interpretations are permitted (although some may not be immediately obvious), whereas with information that is vague, it is difficult to form any interpretation at the desired level of specificity.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Ambiguousadjective

   doubtful or uncertain, particularly in respect to signification; capable of being understood in either of two or more possible senses; equivocal; as, an ambiguous course; an ambiguous expression

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Ambiguous

   am-big′ū-us, adj. of doubtful signification: indistinct: wavering or uncertain: equivocal.—n. Ambigū′ity, uncertainty or dubiousness of meaning—also Ambig′uousness.—adv. Ambig′uously. [L. ambiguus—ambigĕre, to go about—ambi, about, agĕre, to drive.]

Matched Categories

1. • Psychology

How to pronounce ambiguous?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say ambiguous in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of ambiguous in Chaldean Numerology is: 6

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of ambiguous in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of ambiguous in a Sentence

1. Damon Gameau:

   This term about grams of sugar is so ambiguous. We try converting it into teaspoons so that people can really understand and see what a teaspoon is. So if you see on the back of a juice 20 grams [of sugar], divide that by four, and you know there's 5 teaspoons of sugar in that juice packet, and you'd never put 5 teaspoons in your cup of tea for your child, yet you'd give it in a juice quite easily. So people need to know that.

2. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo:

   It's just a factual statement that is factually wrong, i mean there are many things you can debate in the Constitution because they're ambiguous. This is not one of those things that is ambiguous.

3. Erik Pevernagie:

   A doorway is an ambiguous phenomenon, a liminal spot in a person’s life. A door can be a choice, a possibility, a protection or an aperture to new-fangled values. It can mean a barrier, a prison or a gate to freedom. It can, however, vanish in the mist of unawareness by lack of social concern. At that moment, our freedom has become our jail and we feel locked up in our own liberty. Any exit has waned: the doorway has been absorbed in the stupor of our infatuation. ( “In the doorway” )

4. Alan Keenan:

   Everything now depends on implementation - the text was worded in a very ambiguous way.

5. Governor Fallin:

   The bill is so ambiguous and so vague that doctors can not be certain what medical circumstances would be considered ‘ necessary to preserve the life of the mother, ’.

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