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simple
[ sim-puhl ]
adjective
- easy to understand, deal with, use, etc.: simple tools.
a simple matter;
simple tools.
Synonyms: lucid, unmistakable, understandable, intelligible, clear
- not elaborate or artificial; plain:
a simple style.
Synonyms: unembellished, neat, natural
- not ornate or luxurious; unadorned:
a simple gown.
a simple manner.
- not complicated:
a simple design.
- not complex or compound; single
the simple truth;
a simple fact.
- free of deceit or guile; sincere; unconditional:
a frank, simple answer.
- common or ordinary:
a simple soldier.
- not grand or sophisticated; unpretentious:
a simple way of life.
- humble or lowly:
simple folk.
- inconsequential or rudimentary.
Synonyms: unnecessary, nonessential, trivial, trifling
- lacking mental acuteness or sense:
a simple way of thinking.
- Chemistry.
- composed of only one substance or element:
a simple substance.
- not mixed.
- Botany. not divided into parts: a simple stem.
a simple leaf;
a simple stem.
- Zoology. not compound:
a simple ascidian.
- Music. uncompounded or without overtones; single:
simple tone.
- Grammar. having only the head without modifying elements included: Compare complete ( def 5 ).
The simple subject of “The dappled pony gazed over the fence” is “pony.”
- (of a verb tense) consisting of a main verb with no auxiliaries, as takes (simple present) or stood (simple past) ( compound ).
- Mathematics. linear ( def 8 ).
- Optics. (of a lens) having two optical surfaces only.
noun
- an ignorant, foolish, or gullible person.
- something simple, unmixed, or uncompounded.
- simples, Textiles. cords for controlling the warp threads in forming the shed on draw-looms.
- a person of humble origins; commoner.
- an herb or other plant used for medicinal purposes:
country simples.
simple
/ ˈsɪmpəl /
adjective
- not involved or complicated; easy to understand or do
a simple problem
- plain; unadorned
a simple dress
- consisting of one element or part only; not combined or complex
a simple mechanism
- unaffected or unpretentious
although he became famous, he remained a simple and well-liked man
- not guileful; sincere; frank
her simple explanation was readily accepted
- of humble condition or rank
the peasant was of simple birth
- weak in intelligence; feeble-minded
- prenominal without additions or modifications; mere
the witness told the simple truth
- prenomina ordinary or straightforward
a simple case of mumps
- chem (of a substance or material) consisting of only one chemical compound rather than a mixture of compounds
- maths
- (of a fraction) containing only integers
- (of an equation) containing variables to the first power only; linear
- (of a root of an equation) occurring only once; not multiple
- biology
- not divided into parts
a simple leaf
a simple eye
- formed from only one ovary
simple fruit
- music relating to or denoting a time where the number of beats per bar may be two, three, or four
noun
- a simpleton; fool
- a plant, esp a herbaceous plant, having medicinal properties
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Confusables Note
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Derived Forms
- ˈsimpleness, noun
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Other Words From
- simple·ness noun
- over·simple adjective
- over·simple·ness noun
- over·simp·ly adverb
- sub·simple adjective
- ultra·simple adjective
- un·simple adjective
- un·simple·ness noun
- un·simp·ly adverb
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Word History and Origins
Origin of simple1
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Word History and Origins
Origin of simple1
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Idioms and Phrases
see pure and simple .Discover More
Synonym Study
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Related Words
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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