dubiousness

du·bi·ous

[doo-bee-uhs, dyoo-]
adjective
1.
doubtful; marked by or occasioning doubt: a dubious reply.
2.
of doubtful quality or propriety; questionable: a dubious compliment; a dubious transaction.
3.
of uncertain outcome: in dubious battle.
4.
wavering or hesitating in opinion; inclined to doubt.

Origin:
1540–50; < Latin dubius; see -ous

du·bi·ous·ly, adverb
du·bi·ous·ness, noun
su·per·du·bi·ous, adjective
su·per·du·bi·ous·ly, adverb
su·per·du·bi·ous·ness, noun
un·du·bi·ous, adjective
un·du·bi·ous·ly, adverb
un·du·bi·ous·ness, noun


1. equivocal, ambiguous, obscure, unclear. 4. undecided, uncertain, hesitant, fluctuating. See doubtful.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To dubiousness
00:10
Dubiousness is always a great word to know.
So is quincunx. Does it mean:
an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle.
a chattering or flighty, light-headed person.
Collins
World English Dictionary
dubious (ˈdjuːbɪəs) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
adj
1.  marked by or causing doubt: a dubious reply
2.  unsettled in mind; uncertain; doubtful
3.  of doubtful quality; untrustworthy: a dubious reputation
4.  not certain in outcome
 
[C16: from Latin dubius wavering]
 
'dubiously
 
adv
 
'dubiousness
 
n

dubious (ˈdjuːbɪəs) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
adj
1.  marked by or causing doubt: a dubious reply
2.  unsettled in mind; uncertain; doubtful
3.  of doubtful quality; untrustworthy: a dubious reputation
4.  not certain in outcome
 
[C16: from Latin dubius wavering]
 
'dubiously
 
adv
 
'dubiousness
 
n

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

dubious
1540s, from L. dubiosus "doubtful," from dubium "doubt," neuter of dubius "doubtful," from duo "two," in the sense of "of two minds, undecided between two things." O.E. also used tweo "two" to mean "doubt." Related: Dubiously.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Related Searches
Synonym Game
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT