obliquity

obliq·ui·ty

noun \ō-ˈbli-kwə-tē, ə-\

plural obliq·ui·ties

Definition of OBLIQUITY

1

: deviation from moral rectitude or sound thinking

2

a : deviation from parallelism or perpendicularity; also : the amount of such deviation

b : the angle between the planes of the earth's equator and orbit having a value of about 23°27′ <obliquity of the ecliptic>

3

a : indirectness or deliberate obscurity of speech or conduct

b : an obscure or confusing statement

Examples of OBLIQUITY

1. <her poetry is sure to satisfy those readers who readily confuse obliquity with profundity>

First Known Use of OBLIQUITY

15th century

Related to OBLIQUITY

Synonyms

ambiguity, ambiguousness, darkness, equivocalness, equivocation, inscrutability, inscrutableness, murkiness, mysteriousness, nebulosity, nebulousness, obliqueness, obscurity, opacity, opaqueness

Antonyms

clarity, clearness, obviousness, plainness

Related Words

mystery, reconditeness; cloudiness, dimness, faintness, fogginess, fuzziness, haziness, indefiniteness, indistinctness, mistiness, shade, shadow, uncertainty, vagueness; impenetrability, incomprehensibility, incomprehensibleness; circuitousness, circuity, indirectness; deepness, depth, profoundness; abstruseness, abstrusity, complexity, complication, difficulty, obtuseness

Near Antonyms

comprehensibility, intelligibility, legibility; brightness, distinctness, self-evidence; certainty, surety; definiteness, exactness, explicitness, incision, incisiveness, lucidity, lucidness, perspicuity, perspicuousness; directness, forthrightness, openness, straightforwardness; palpability, tangibility, tangibleness, visibility; readability, readableness; obviousness

Rhymes with OBLIQUITY

antiquity, ubiquity

obliq·ui·ty

noun \ō-ˈblik-wət-ē, ə-\   (Medical Dictionary)

plural ; obliq·ui·ties

Medical Definition of OBLIQUITY

: the quality or state of being oblique : deviation from parallelism or perpendicularity; also : the amount of such deviation