Origin: 1175–1225; (adj.)
Middle English <
Old French <
Late Latin simplus simple,
Latin (in
simpla pecunia simple fee or sum), equivalent to
sim- one (
see simplex) +
-plus, as in
duplus duple, double (
see -fold); cognate with
Greek háplos (
see haplo-); (noun)
Middle English: commoner, derivative of the adj.
Synonyms 1. clear, intelligible, understandable, unmistakable, lucid.
2. natural, unembellished, neat.
8. artless, guileless, ingenuous.
10. See homely. 12. trifling, trivial, nonessential, unnecessary.
13. untutored, stupid.