English Lexicon

Difficulty

/ˈdɪf.ɪ.kəl.ti/
nounCEFR B1 (Intermediate)Top #800 frequency
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Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    The state or condition of being hard to deal with, overcome, or understand.

    "They encountered unexpected difficulty when trying to secure funding for the project."
  2. 2

    A problem, obstacle, or troublesome situation.

    "She handled every difficulty with remarkable grace and resilience."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

The word 'difficulty' originates from the Latin 'difficultas', which means 'hardness' or 'difficulty'. It evolved through Old French before entering Middle English, reflecting challenges or obstacles faced in various contexts.

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