Definition of AMBIGUITY

Where Ambiguity Comes From

It might not be immediately clear (unless you are fluent in Latin) how ambiguity ("uncertainty") and ambidextrous ("using both hands with equal ease") are connected, aside from the fact that they both begin with the same four letters. Ambiguity (and ambiguous) comes from the Latin ambiguus, which was formed by combining ambi- (meaning "both") and agere ("to drive"). Ambidextrous combines the same prefix with dexter (meaning "skillful; relating to or situated on the right"). So each of these words carries the meaning of "both" in its history; one with the sense of "both meanings" and the other with that of "both hands." Ambiguity may be used to refer either to something (such as a word) which has multiple meanings, or to a more general state of uncertainty.

Examples of ambiguity in a Sentence

A third factor amping your desire to speed things along: Despite the euphoria of those first kisses and dates, the initial stages of infatuation can be incredibly unsettling. "You aren't sure yet where you stand with your mate, so you're anxious to shake the ambiguity," explains Regan. — Molly Triffin et al., Cosmopolitan, January 2008 Above the level of molecular biology, the notion of "gene" has become increasingly complex. The chapter in which Ridley addresses the ambiguities of this slippery word is an expository tour de force. He considers seven possible meanings of gene as used in different contexts: a unit of heredity; an interchangeable part of evolution; a recipe for a metabolic product; … a development switch; a unit of selection; and a unit of instinct. — Raymond Tallis, Prospect, September 2003 The troubles in the Empire at the turn of the seventeenth century have often been laid at the door of the Peace of Augsburg. While it is true that the 1555 agreement papered over some unsolvable problems and contained ambiguities and loopholes, it had been conceived as a pragmatic compromise, and it did succeed in preserving the peace in Germany for one generation. — Alison D. Anderson, On the Verge of War, 1999 Her letters and diaries describe her own feelings of insecurity and worries about her possible fate if she could no longer work, and they also tell us a great deal about the ambiguity of her position within the society in which she lived, and her determination to defend and maintain her own status. — Joanna Martin, A Governess In the Age of Jane Austen, 1998 the ambiguities in his answers the ambiguity of the clairvoyant's messages from the deceased allowed the grieving relatives to interpret them however they wished

Recent Examples on the Web

The ambiguity of the Sopranos ending persists to this day. — Joanna Robinson, HWD, "Is Alec Baldwin’s Donald Trump Leaving S.N.L.?," 20 May 2018 There are no complexities, no ambiguities, no conflicting views to consider or conciliate. — Holman W. Jenkins, WSJ, "Why N.Y. Pols Aren’t World Class," 8 May 2018 But the novel is a stage for nuance, exception, contradiction, ambiguity, and the ways in which individual lives don’t fit neatly into stereotypes. — Eve Macsweeney, Vogue, "In The Mars Room, Rachel Kushner Is Standing Up for the Guilty," 27 Apr. 2018 There is no room for quasi-moral ambiguity at Augusta, except when the scoreboard demands it. — Tim Layden, SI.com, "Patrick Reed Can't Be Denied as He Bucks Convention to Win at Augusta," 8 Apr. 2018 The suit centered on an ambiguity in Missouri law on whether the governor has the authority to appoint a new lieutenant governor when there is a vacancy, something that is not explicitly spelled out in the state’s Constitution. — Bryan Lowry, kansascity, "Judge throws out lawsuit seeking to block Parson from appointing lieutenant governor," 11 July 2018 There’s something telling about the six words, embodying ambiguity in the fullest sense of that term, that were silk-screened insouciantly onto the jacket that was worn to the photo-op. — Megan Garber, The Atlantic, "Schrödinger’s Coat," 22 June 2018 One rarely finds such moral ambiguity in a popcorn movie. — Ben Sachs, Chicago Reader, "Upgrade is so derivative, it’s original," 14 June 2018 Weinstein said the bill leaves some ambiguity in the size and material used for dog shelters so that officers can enforce for individual situations. — Kate Magill, Howard County Times, "Howard proposal adds teeth to laws on leaving dogs outdoors in frigid weather," 7 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ambiguity.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.