— ambiguously , adv. — ambiguousness , n.
/am big"yooh euhs/ , adj.
1. open to or having several possible meanings or interpretations; equivocal: an ambiguous answer.
2. Ling. (of an expression) exhibiting constructional homonymity; having two or more structural descriptions, as the sequence Flying planes can be dangerous.
3. of doubtful or uncertain nature; difficult to comprehend, distinguish, or classify: a rock of ambiguous character.
4. lacking clearness or definiteness; obscure; indistinct: an ambiguous shape; an ambiguous future.
[ 1520-30; ambiguus, equiv. to ambig ( ere ) be uncertain ( amb- AMBI- + -igere comb. form of agere to drive, lead, act) + -uus deverbal adj. suffix; see -OUS ]
Syn. 1. AMBIGUOUS, EQUIVOCAL, CRYPTIC, ENIGMATIC describe conditions or statements not clear in meaning. AMBIGUOUS can refer to a statement, act, or attitude that is capable of two or more often contradictory interpretations, usually accidentally or unintentionally so: an ambiguous passage in the preamble. EQUIVOCAL, usually applied to spoken as well as written language, also means susceptible of two or more interpretations, and it usually suggests a deliberate intent to mislead by avoiding clarity: saving face with an equivocal response to an embarrassing question.
CRYPTIC usually refers to intentional obscurity, especially in language, and often implies a private or hidden meaning but stresses resultant mystification or puzzlement: a cryptic remark that left us struggling to interpret his intention. ENIGMATIC focuses on perplexity resulting from a mysterious or imponderable event or utterance, often one of great importance or deep significance: prophetic texts so enigmatic that their meaning has been disputed for centuries. 3. dubious, vague, indeterminate, unclassifiable, anomalous. 4. puzzling, enigmatic, problematic.
Ant. 1. explicit. 3. certain. 4. clear, precise, unambiguous.