Question 1 · Quick check
difficult
CEFRA1
/ˈdɪfɪkəlt/
adjective · verb
Türkçe translations
Translating…
In plain English
- 01
adjective
Needing a lot of effort, skill, or thought.
- 02
adjective
Extra detailHard to manage, uncooperative, troublesome.
Examples
It's quite difficult to master French in 2 or 3 years.
The competition judges were given a very difficult task.
At a glance
Sits at A1 on the CEFR scale
- Senses
- 5
- Parts of speech
- 2
- Citations
- 4
- Synonyms
- 5
Deep Dive
adjective
Extra meaningsUnable or unwilling.
Hard, not easy, requiring much effort.
verb
Extra meaningTo make difficult, hinder; to impede; to perplex.
More examples
In contextIt's difficult to have great ideas.
However, the difficult weather conditions will ensure Yunnan has plenty of freshwater.
Stop being difficult and eat your broccoli—you know it's good for you.
Related
Quick test
Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.
Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.
Nearby
Origin
adjective
From Middle English difficult (ca. 1400), a back-formation from difficulte (whence modern difficulty), from Old French difficulté, from Latin difficultas, from difficul, older form of difficilis (“hard to do, difficult”), from dis- + facilis (“easy”); see difficile. Replaced native Middle English earveþ (“difficult, hard”), from Old English earfoþe (“difficult, laborious, full of hardship”), cognate to German Arbeit (“work”). The verb is from the adjective, partly after Middle French difficulter and its etymon Latin difficultō. Compare difficilitate, difficultate, and Italian difficoltare.