difficulty
UK: ˈdɪfɪkəlti | US: ˈdɪfɪkəlti
n. the state or condition of being difficult
n. something that is hard to accomplish, deal with, or understand
n. (often plural) a problem or obstacle
difficulty = dif<apart, away> + fic<make, do> + ulty<noun suffix>
- dif<apart, away>: From Latin dis-, indicating separation or negation.
- fic<make, do>: From Latin facere, meaning "to make" or "to do."
- ulty<noun suffix>: A variant of -ity, forming nouns indicating a state or condition.
Etymology Origin:
The word difficulty traces back to Latin difficultas, combining dis- (apart) + facilis (easy). The root facilis comes from facere (to do), so difficulty literally means "the state of being hard to do." Over time, it evolved through Old French difficulté into Middle English, retaining its core meaning of hardship or challenge.
She faced great difficulty in solving the math problem.
The project was completed without much difficulty.
Financial difficulties forced him to change jobs.
Climbing the mountain proved to be a significant difficulty.
The instructions were written clearly to avoid any difficulty.