dubious

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˈdubiəs/ UK /ˈdjuːbiəs/ See IPA manual

adj

Meanings

1

adj
hesitating or doubting; of questionable value or truth

The deal rested on the dubious claims of an unknown investor.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · hesitating or doubting; of... doubtful questionable suspect uncertain skeptical unsure fishy shady

Opposites

certain sure confident reliable trustworthy

Word family

Derived forms dubiouslydubiousnessdubiety

Related forms doubt indubitabledubitable

Common collocations

dubious honor Adjective + noun

Etymology

From Latin 'dubiosus', from 'dubium' ('doubt'), from 'dubius' ('wavering, doubtful'), from 'duo' ('two'), the idea being wavering between two possibilities.

dubiosus Latin dubius Latin duo French

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

# dubious

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** ˈdubiəs
**IPA (UK):** ˈdjuːbiəs

## Meanings
1. hesitating or doubting; of questionable value or truth

## Examples
- The deal rested on the dubious claims of an unknown investor.

## Synonyms
- doubtful
- questionable
- suspect
- uncertain
- skeptical
- unsure
- fishy
- shady

## Antonyms
- certain
- sure
- confident
- reliable
- trustworthy

## Derived Forms
- dubiously
- dubiousness
- dubiety

## Related Forms
- doubt
- indubitable
- dubitable

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: dubiosus
- Root: dubius
- Root: duo

## Etymology
From Latin 'dubiosus', from 'dubium' ('doubt'), from 'dubius' ('wavering, doubtful'), from 'duo' ('two'), the idea being wavering between two possibilities.

## AI Etymology
Dubious is from Latin 'dubiosus', from 'dubium' ('doubt'), from 'dubius' ('wavering, doubtful'), from 'duo' ('two'), the idea being wavering between two possibilities. Important recorded forms include dubiosus (Latin), dubius (Latin), and duo (Latin). The current sense covers hesitating or doubting; of questionable value or truth. The wider family includes derived forms such as dubiously, dubiousness, and dubiety and related words such as doubt, indubitable, and dubitable.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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