difficult
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difficult
- /ˈdɪfɪkəlt/
Where it comes from
From Middle English difficult (ca. 1400), a back-formation from difficulte (whence modern difficulty), from Old French difficulté, from Latin difficultas, from difficul, older form of difficilis (“hard to do, difficult”), from dis- + facilis (“easy”); see difficile. Replaced native Middle English earveþ (“difficult, hard”), from Old English earfoþe (“difficult, laborious, full of hardship”), cognate to German Arbeit (“work”).
The verb is from the adjective, partly after Middle French difficulter and its etymon Latin difficultō. Compare difficilitate, difficultate, and Italian difficoltare.
adjective more difficult · most difficult
- Hard, not easy, requiring much effort. difficult of accomplishment
- Hard to manage, uncooperative, troublesome. Stop being difficult and eat your broccoli—you know it's good for you.
- Unable or unwilling. “I hope, madam,” said Jones, “my charming Lady Bellaston will be as difficult to believe anything against one who is so sensible of the many obligations she hath conferred upon him.”
Similar: burdensome, cumbersome, hard, arduous, challenging, nasty, difficult, sticky, effortful, rough, rocky, thistly
verb difficults · difficulting · difficulted
- To make difficult, hinder; to impede; to perplex. August 9 1678, William Temple, letter to Joseph Williamson their Excellencies having desisted from their pretensions , which had difficulted the peace
