precarious C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities US /prɪˈkɛriəs/ UK /prɪˈkɛəriəs/ See IPA manual Meanings 1 adj dangerously uncertain or insecure The climbers found themselves in a precarious position. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 adj · dangerously uncertain or... unstableinsecureunsafeperilousuncertainshakytenuous ↔ Opposites securestablesafecertain Word family Forms precariouslyprecariousness Derived forms precariouslyprecariousness Related forms prayerprecation Common collocations precarious truce Adjective + noun Etymology AI details From Latin precarius ('obtained by prayer, dependent on the will of another'), from precari ('to pray, beg'), from prex ('prayer, request'). precarius Latin precari Latin prex Latin View etymology graph -> Topics Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # precarious **Type:** Word **Level:** C2+ **Part of speech:** adj **IPA (US):** /prɪˈkɛriəs/ **IPA (UK):** /prɪˈkɛəriəs/ ## Meanings 1. dangerously uncertain or insecure ## Examples - The climbers found themselves in a precarious position. ## Synonyms - unstable - insecure - unsafe - perilous - uncertain - shaky - tenuous ## Antonyms - secure - stable - safe - certain ## Derived Forms - precariously - precariousness ## Related Forms - prayer - precation ## Roots and Affixes - Root: precarius - Root: precari - Root: prex ## Etymology From Latin precarius ('obtained by prayer, dependent on the will of another'), from precari ('to pray, beg'), from prex ('prayer, request'). ## AI Etymology Precarious is from Latin precarius ('obtained by prayer, dependent on the will of another'), from precari ('to pray, beg'), from prex ('prayer, request'). In present-day use, it means dangerously uncertain or insecure. Derived formations include precariously and precariousness. Related vocabulary includes prayer and precation. ## Topics - Describing Qualities - Word Formation & Derivatives markdown