equivocal

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ɪˈkwɪvəkəl/ UK /ɪˈkwɪvəkəl/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
open to more than one interpretation; ambiguous

His equivocal answer left everyone unsure of his intentions.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · open to more than one... ambiguous ambivalent vague uncertain indefinite obscure cryptic

Opposites

unequivocal unambiguous clear definite explicit

Word family

Forms equivocally

Derived forms equivocallyequivocalness

Related forms equivocate equivocation univocal voice

Etymology

From Late Latin aequivocus 'of equal voice, ambiguous', from aequus 'equal' + vox (stem voc-) 'voice'.

aequivocus Latin aequus Latin vox Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# equivocal

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

## Meanings
1. open to more than one interpretation; ambiguous

## Examples
- His equivocal answer left everyone unsure of his intentions.

## Synonyms
- ambiguous
- ambivalent
- vague
- uncertain
- indefinite
- obscure
- cryptic

## Antonyms
- unequivocal
- unambiguous
- clear
- definite
- explicit

## Derived Forms
- equivocally
- equivocalness

## Related Forms
- equivocate
- equivocation
- univocal
- voice

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: aequivocus
- Root: aequus
- Root: vox

## Etymology
From Late Latin aequivocus 'of equal voice, ambiguous', from aequus 'equal' + vox (stem voc-) 'voice'.

## AI Etymology
Equivocal comes from Late Latin aequivocus 'of equal voice, ambiguous', from aequus 'equal' + vox (stem voc-) 'voice'. The historical trail runs through Latin aequivocus, Latin aequus and Latin vox. Morphologically, the surface form is analyzable into prefixes, suffixes, compounds, or participial endings that carry part of the history. In modern use it means open to more than one interpretation; ambiguous. Derived formations include equivocally, equivocalness; related forms include equivocate, equivocation, univocal, voice.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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