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

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Rhymes with OBLIQUITY

antiquity, ubiquity