dif·fi·cul·ty

[dif-i-kuhl-tee, -kuhl-tee]
noun, plural dif·fi·cul·ties.
1.
the fact or condition of being difficult.
2.
Often, difficul·ties. an embarrassing situation, especially of financial affairs.
3.
a trouble or struggle.
4.
a cause of trouble, struggle, or embarrassment.
5.
a disagreement or dispute.
6.
reluctance; unwillingness.
7.
a demur; objection.
8.
something that is hard to do, understand, or surmount; an impediment or obstacle.
Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English difficulte (< Anglo-French) < Latin difficultās, equivalent to difficil(is) difficile + -tās -ty2

Related forms
pre·dif·fi·cul·ty, noun, plural pre·dif·fi·cul·ties.

Synonyms
2. dilemma, predicament, quandary, plight, fix, exigency, strait. 3. problem.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To difficulty
00:10
Difficulty is always a great word to know.
So is callithumpian. Does it mean:
a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal.
a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
difficulty (ˈdɪfɪkəltɪ) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
—n , pl -ties
1.  the state or quality of being difficult
2.  a task, problem, etc, that is hard to deal with
3.  (often plural) a troublesome or embarrassing situation, esp a financial one
4.  a dispute or disagreement
5.  (often plural) an objection or obstacle: he always makes difficulties
6.  a trouble or source of trouble; worry
7.  lack of ease; awkwardness: he could run only with difficulty
 
[C14: from Latin difficultās, from difficilis difficult, from dis- not + facilis easy, facile]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

difficulty
late 14c., from O.Fr. difficulte, from L. difficultatem (nom. difficultus), from difficilis "hard," from dis- "not, away from" + facilis "easy" (see facile).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
One problem with research of this kind is the difficulty involved in controlling potential confounding variables.
The first problem he noticed was a difficulty seeing at night, a common early symptom.
Every family member with the mutation had great difficulty speaking.
In the past the main problem with asynchronous induction motors was the
  difficulty of varying their speed.
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