problem

A1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈpɹɑbləm/ UK /ˈpɹɒbləm/ See IPA manual

Freq #330

Meanings

1

noun
A difficult situation that needs to be dealt with or solved.

We have a problem with the car's engine.
2

noun
A question or exercise to be answered, especially in maths or study.

The maths test had ten problems to solve.
3

noun
An objection or reason to be unhappy about something.

Do you have a problem with the way I did it?

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a difficult situation that... trouble job

Opposites

solution

Word family

Forms problems

Derived forms counterproblemeigenproblemmacroproblemmetaproblemmicroproblemmultiproblemnonproblemproblem-reaction-solutionproblem-solveproblem-solverproblem-solvingproblemed

Related forms problematic problematicalproblematizetrouble

Etymology

From Middle English probleme, from Middle French probleme, from Latin problēma, from Ancient Greek πρόβλημα (próblēma, “anything thrown forward, hindrance, obstacle, anything projecting, a headland, promontory”), from προβάλλω (probállō, “to throw or lay something in front of someone, to put forward”), from προ- (pro-, “in front of”) + βάλλω (bállō, “to throw, to cast, to hurl”). Doublet of problema.

*gʷelH- Proto-Indo-European probleme Middle English problēma Latin πρόβλημα Ancient Greek

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# problem

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈpɹɑbləm/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈpɹɒbləm/
**Frequency rank:** 330

## Meanings
1. A difficult situation that needs to be dealt with or solved.
2. A question or exercise to be answered, especially in maths or study.
3. An objection or reason to be unhappy about something.

## Examples
- We have a problem with the car's engine.
- The maths test had ten problems to solve.
- Do you have a problem with the way I did it?

## Antonyms
- solution

## Derived Forms
- counterproblem
- eigenproblem
- macroproblem
- metaproblem
- microproblem
- multiproblem
- nonproblem
- problem-reaction-solution
- problem-solve
- problem-solver
- problem-solving
- problemed

## Related Forms
- problematic
- problematical
- problematize
- trouble

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *gʷelH-
- Root: probleme
- Root: problēma
- Root: πρόβλημα

## Etymology
From Middle English probleme, from Middle French probleme, from Latin problēma, from Ancient Greek πρόβλημα (próblēma, “anything thrown forward, hindrance, obstacle, anything projecting, a headland, promontory”), from προβάλλω (probállō, “to throw or lay something in front of someone, to put forward”), from προ- (pro-, “in front of”) + βάλλω (bállō, “to throw, to cast, to hurl”). Doublet of problema.

## AI Etymology
Problem comes from Middle English probleme, from Middle French probleme, from Latin problēma, from Ancient Greek πρόβλημα (próblēma, “anything thrown forward, hindrance, obstacle, anything projecting, a headland, promontory”), from προβάλλω (probállō, “to throw or lay something in front of someone, to put forward”), from προ- (pro-, “in front of”) + βάλλω (bállō, “to throw, to cast, to hurl”). Doublet of problema. In present-day English it covers a difficult situation that needs to be dealt with or solved, a question or exercise to be answered, especially in maths or study, and an objection or reason to be unhappy about something. The wider family includes derived forms such as counterproblem, eigenproblem, macroproblem, metaproblem, microproblem and related forms such as problematic, problematical, problematize, trouble.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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problem

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