adj.
Pronunciation: ' di-fi-( ˌ )k ə lt
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, back-formation from difficulty
Date: 14th century
1 : hard to do, make, or carry out : ARDUOUS <a difficult climb>
2 a : hard to deal with, manage, or overcome <a difficult child> b : hard to understand : PUZZLING < difficult reading>
synonyms see HARD
– dif · fi · cult · ly adverb