# Shouldn't the word "ambiguous" have more than one meaning? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 10, 2021, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-the-word-ambiguous-have-more-than-one-meaning/946159 "2021-07-10T15:27:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Roger\_That](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roger_that/32/8505_2.png) [@Roger\_That](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roger_That)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-the-word-ambiguous-have-more-than-one-meaning/946159/1 "2021-07-10T15:27:22Z")
I heard this question asked in a commercial last evening, and I thought immediately “But ambiguous DOES have more than meaning–in fact, it means two distinct concepts!” It’s usually pejorative, meaning something like ‘vague’ or ‘nebulous’ in everyday language. It can even mean something like “tricky’ or 'shifty” as in “You’re being ambiguous–say what you mean, please.” But it’s a word of praise when the intent is artful: in poetry, ‘ambiguity’ is often the very point the poet is shooting for, having a shade of meaning that seems to cut one way but which can also be read to shade quite differently. Some poets (Robert Frost leaps straight to mind) seem to want an unresolveable ambiguity in all their work, and telling Frost that his poems are ambiguous would have bought a satisfied smile to his face. Anyone know what commercial I saw, btw? I didn’t catch that. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-the-word-ambiguous-have-more-than-one-meaning/946159/2 "2021-07-10T15:38:25Z")
From Lewis and Short’s Latin dictionary: **I.** going about, hither and thither **II. Transf.** **A.** Uncertain, doubtful **B.** Of discourse: obscure, dark, ambiguous **C. Trop.** , uncertain, wavering; not to be relied on, untrustworthy. Basically, there is one _literal_ meaning (moving from side to side), but that can be figuratively interpreted in several ways. Anyway, ambiguity is not inherently good or bad, it obviously depends on the context. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-the-word-ambiguous-have-more-than-one-meaning/946159/3 "2021-07-10T15:40:31Z")
While we’re at it: Why isn’t phonetic spelled the way it sounds? ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-the-word-ambiguous-have-more-than-one-meaning/946159/4 "2021-07-10T15:46:08Z")
And why is the word abbreviation so long? ---
**Author:** ![Roger\_That](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roger_that/32/8505_2.png) [@Roger\_That](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roger_That)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-the-word-ambiguous-have-more-than-one-meaning/946159/5 "2021-07-10T15:48:29Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > ambiguity is not inherently good or bad, it obviously depends on the context. Exactly. “Ambiguous” has more than one meaning. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-the-word-ambiguous-have-more-than-one-meaning/946159/6 "2021-07-10T15:56:38Z")
Well other than the word does have more than one meaning, why would one suppose a word should describe itself? Why isn’t the word “red” red? That’s about how sensical the rhetorical is. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-the-word-ambiguous-have-more-than-one-meaning/946159/7 "2021-07-10T15:57:40Z")
The OED lists even more senses for _ambiguous_—seven, to be precise, of which only one is marked as obsolete: > 1. Doubtful, questionable; indistinct, obscure, not clearly defined. > 2. Of words or other significant indications: Admitting more than one interpretation, or explanation; of double meaning, or of several possible meanings; equivocal. (The commonest use.) > 3. Of doubtful position or classification, as partaking of two characters or being on the boundary line between. > 4. Of persons: Wavering or uncertain as to course or conduct; hesitating, doubtful. _Obs._ > 5. Of things: Wavering or uncertain in direction or tendency; of doubtful or uncertain issue. > 6. Hence, Insecure in its indications; not to be relied upon. > 7. Of persons, oracles, etc.: Using words of doubtful or double meaning. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-the-word-ambiguous-have-more-than-one-meaning/946159/8 "2021-07-10T16:09:16Z")
What’s another word for thesaurus? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-the-word-ambiguous-have-more-than-one-meaning/946159/9 "2021-07-10T16:49:08Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > **B.** Of discourse: obscure, dark, ambiguous Wait. They used ambiguous to define ambiguous? How ambiguous can they get? ---
**Author:** ![Karen\_Lingel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karen_lingel/32/18649_2.png) [@Karen\_Lingel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karen_Lingel)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-the-word-ambiguous-have-more-than-one-meaning/946159/10 "2021-07-10T17:59:49Z")
LOL! **recursive** : see _recursive_. ---
**Author:** ![SantaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/da6949/32.png) [@SantaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SantaMan)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2021, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-the-word-ambiguous-have-more-than-one-meaning/946159/11 "2021-07-11T02:53:10Z")
Should it have more than one meaning? Yes and no. ---
**Author:** ![glowacks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/glowacks/32/5548_2.png) [@glowacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glowacks)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2021, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-the-word-ambiguous-have-more-than-one-meaning/946159/12 "2021-07-11T02:56:16Z")
> **[Definition of AMBIGUOUS](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ambiguous)** > > doubtful or uncertain especially from obscurity or indistinctness; inexplicable; capable of being understood in two or more possible senses or ways… See the full definition > [@](#): > > Frequently Asked Questions About _ambiguous_ > > ### Does _ambiguous_ have the same meaning as _unclear_ ? > > _Ambiguous_ has, like many words in English, more than one possible meaning; a quality some might refer to as ambiguous itself. So yes, ambiguous could be said to be autological. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2021, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-the-word-ambiguous-have-more-than-one-meaning/946159/13 "2021-07-11T05:06:34Z")
And who was the sadist who put an S in “LISP”? ---
**Author:** ![HelenGawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@HelenGawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelenGawn)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2021, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-the-word-ambiguous-have-more-than-one-meaning/946159/14 "2021-07-11T05:41:34Z")
And why isn’t it “palindromemordnilap”? ---
**Author:** ![tavaritz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/71e660/32.png) [@tavaritz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tavaritz)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2021, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-the-word-ambiguous-have-more-than-one-meaning/946159/15 "2021-07-11T07:20:35Z")
Why it’s awkward to pronounce awkward? ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2021, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-the-word-ambiguous-have-more-than-one-meaning/946159/16 "2021-07-12T01:21:16Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > What’s another word for thesaurus? Theseausaur. > [@tavaritz](#): > > Why it’s awkward to pronounce awkward? Do you speak rhotic? Maybe it’s pronounced awkwawd. ETA: If you should chance to see an auk, you should chase after it and try to catch it. Hie thee aukward. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2021, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-the-word-ambiguous-have-more-than-one-meaning/946159/17 "2021-07-12T02:00:28Z")
> [@Roger\_That](#): > > It’s usually pejorative, meaning something like ‘vague’ or ‘nebulous’ in everyday language. It can even mean something like “tricky’ or 'shifty” as in “You’re being ambiguous–say what you mean, please.” But it’s a word of praise when the intent is artful: in poetry, ‘ambiguity’ is often the very point the poet is shooting for, having a shade of meaning that seems to cut one way but which can also be read to shade quite differently. Some poets (Robert Frost leaps straight to mind) seem to want an unresolveable ambiguity in all their work, and telling Frost that his poems are ambiguous would have bought a satisfied smile to his face. I’m not sure that’s so much “two distinct concepts” as “a single concept that can be positive or negative depending on the context,” though. (Or, possibly, depending on the audience – some people _hate_ ambiguity, and others prefer it. As a humanities professor, I’d say that “tolerance of ambiguity and complexity” is one of the qualities most of us _try_ to instill in our students, with varying degrees of success.)