DIFFICULTY - Definition & Meaning for Kids
Meaning 1
Part of speech: Noun
a factor causing trouble in achieving a positive result or tending to produce a negative result
Example: serious difficulties were encountered in obtaining a pure reagent
Categories: Cognitive factor
Meaning 2
Part of speech: Noun
a condition or state of affairs almost beyond one's ability to deal with and requiring great effort to bear or overcome
Example: grappling with financial difficulties
Categories: Condition, Status
Meaning 3
Part of speech: Noun
the quality of being difficult
Example: they agreed about the difficulty of the climb
Categories: Quality
Synonyms
Trouble, Difficultness, Difficulty
Antonyms
🌱 Word Origin (Etymology)
The word "difficulty" comes from Latin difficultas. It started in Old French difficulté. Then it appeared in Middle English difficultee.
đź”— Related Words
dis- – A related word in the same word family.
facile – A related word in the same word family.
-ty – A related word in the same word family.
🧩 Fun Fact
This word traveled through multiple civilizations—each culture shaped its meaning slightly!