"uncertainty" meaning in All languages combined

See uncertainty on Wiktionary

Noun [English]

IPA: /ʌnˈsɜːtənti/ [UK], /ʌnˈsɝtənti/ [US] Audio: en-us-uncertainty.ogg [US] Forms: uncertainties [plural]
Etymology: From Middle English uncerteynte; equivalent to un- + certainty or uncertain + -ty. Etymology templates: {{inh|en|enm|uncerteynte}} Middle English uncerteynte, {{prefix|en|un|certainty}} un- + certainty, {{suffix|en|uncertain|ty}} uncertain + -ty Head templates: {{en-noun|~}} uncertainty (countable and uncountable, plural uncertainties)
  1. (uncountable) Doubt; the condition of being uncertain or without conviction. Tags: uncountable Translations (doubt; the condition of being uncertain): ἀδηλότης (adēlótēs) [feminine] (Ancient Greek), няўпэўненасць (njaŭpeŭnjenascʹ) [feminine] (Belarusian), сумнеў (sumnjeŭ) [masculine] (Belarusian), паняверка (panjavjerka) [feminine] (Belarusian), несигурност (nesigurnost) [feminine] (Bulgarian), incertesa [feminine] (Catalan), 不确定性 (bù què dìng xìng) (Chinese Mandarin), nejistota [feminine] (Czech), usikkerhed [common-gender] (Danish), onzekerheid [feminine] (Dutch), necerteco (Esperanto), malcerteco (Esperanto), epävarmuus (Finnish), incertitude [feminine] (French), incerteza [feminine] (Galician), Unsicherheit [feminine] (German), Ungewissheit [feminine] (German), αβεβαιότητα (avevaiótita) [feminine] (Greek), bizonytalanság (Hungarian), incertezza [feminine] (Italian), 불확실 (bulhwaksil) (Korean), incertum [neuter] (Latin), ketidakpastian (Malay), kumukumu (Maori), uvisse [feminine] (Norwegian Nynorsk), بللیسزلك (bellisizlik) (Ottoman Turkish), niepewność [feminine] (Polish), incerteza [feminine] (Portuguese), incertitudine (Romanian), nesiguranță (Romanian), неуве́ренность (neuvérennostʹ) [feminine] (Russian), сомне́ние (somnénije) [neuter] (Russian), mì-chinnt [feminine] (Scottish Gaelic), incertidumbre [feminine] (Spanish), incerteza [feminine] (Spanish), osäkerhet [common-gender] (Swedish), dikatiyakan (Tagalog), невпе́вненість (nevpévnenistʹ) [feminine] (Ukrainian), непе́вність (nepévnistʹ) [feminine] (Ukrainian), неви́значеність (nevýznačenistʹ) [feminine] (Ukrainian)
    Sense id: en-uncertainty-en-noun-ArSNBTwy Categories (other): English terms prefixed with un-, English terms suffixed with -ty Disambiguation of English terms prefixed with un-: 64 12 24 Disambiguation of English terms suffixed with -ty: 49 7 45 Disambiguation of 'doubt; the condition of being uncertain': 85 13 2
  2. (countable) Something uncertain or ambiguous. Tags: countable Translations (something uncertain or ambiguous): Unsicherheit [feminine] (German), 불확실한 것 (bulhwaksilhan geot) (Korean), ketidakpastian (Malay), بللیسزلك (bellisizlik) (Ottoman Turkish), incerteza [feminine] (Portuguese), неуве́ренность (neuvérennostʹ) [feminine] (Russian), нея́сность (nejásnostʹ) [feminine] (Russian), неопределённость (neopredeljónnostʹ) [feminine] (Russian)
    Sense id: en-uncertainty-en-noun-jcUn23AO Disambiguation of 'something uncertain or ambiguous': 8 91 1
  3. (uncountable, mathematics) A parameter that measures the dispersion of a range of measured values. Tags: uncountable Categories (topical): Mathematics Translations (mathematics: a parameter that measures the dispersion): погре́шность (pogréšnostʹ) [feminine] (Russian), нето́чность (netóčnostʹ) [feminine] (Russian), неопределённость (neopredeljónnostʹ) [feminine] (Russian), dikatiyakan (Tagalog)
    Sense id: en-uncertainty-en-noun-MMtAZ~zX Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English terms suffixed with -ty Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 34 6 60 Disambiguation of English terms suffixed with -ty: 49 7 45 Topics: mathematics, sciences Disambiguation of 'mathematics: a parameter that measures the dispersion': 4 2 94
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Synonyms: uncertainness Derived forms: corridor of uncertainty, Heisenberg uncertainty principle, Knightian uncertainty, uncertainty aversion, uncertainty principle

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

Download JSON data for uncertainty meaning in All languages combined (13.3kB)

{
  "antonyms": [
    {
      "word": "certainty"
    }
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "corridor of uncertainty"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "Heisenberg uncertainty principle"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "Knightian uncertainty"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "uncertainty aversion"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "uncertainty principle"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "uncerteynte"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English uncerteynte",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "un",
        "3": "certainty"
      },
      "expansion": "un- + certainty",
      "name": "prefix"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "uncertain",
        "3": "ty"
      },
      "expansion": "uncertain + -ty",
      "name": "suffix"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English uncerteynte; equivalent to un- + certainty or uncertain + -ty.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "uncertainties",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "~"
      },
      "expansion": "uncertainty (countable and uncountable, plural uncertainties)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "64 12 24",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms prefixed with un-",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "49 7 45",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms suffixed with -ty",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2012 April 9, Mandeep Sanghera, “Tottenham 1-2 Norwich”, in BBC Sport",
          "text": "After spending so much of the season looking upwards, the swashbuckling style and swagger of early season Spurs was replaced by uncertainty and frustration against a Norwich side who had the quality and verve to take advantage",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2018 May 17, “Corbynomics would change Britain—but not in the way most people think”, in The Economist",
          "text": "Piecing together Corbynomics is difficult, not least because it has evolved during Mr Corbyn’s time in charge of Labour. The gulf between the Labour leadership’s past positions and the milder proposals in the manifesto means that enormous uncertainty hangs over what a Corbyn-led government would do in office.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2024 January 10, Howard Johnston, “Launched for enthusiasts - now it's for everyone”, in RAIL, number 1000, page 28",
          "text": "It's a full circle. Over the past 43 years, RAIL has reported on how the railways have gone from uncertainty under government control to sectorisation, privatisation, and back to uncertainty under government control.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Doubt; the condition of being uncertain or without conviction."
      ],
      "id": "en-uncertainty-en-noun-ArSNBTwy",
      "links": [
        [
          "Doubt",
          "doubt"
        ],
        [
          "condition",
          "condition"
        ],
        [
          "uncertain",
          "uncertain"
        ],
        [
          "conviction",
          "conviction"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(uncountable) Doubt; the condition of being uncertain or without conviction."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "be",
          "lang": "Belarusian",
          "roman": "njaŭpeŭnjenascʹ",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "няўпэўненасць"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "be",
          "lang": "Belarusian",
          "roman": "sumnjeŭ",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "сумнеў"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "be",
          "lang": "Belarusian",
          "roman": "panjavjerka",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "паняверка"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "nesigurnost",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "несигурност"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "incertesa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "bù què dìng xìng",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "word": "不确定性"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "nejistota"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "da",
          "lang": "Danish",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "tags": [
            "common-gender"
          ],
          "word": "usikkerhed"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "onzekerheid"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "eo",
          "lang": "Esperanto",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "word": "necerteco"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "eo",
          "lang": "Esperanto",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "word": "malcerteco"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "word": "epävarmuus"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "incertitude"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "gl",
          "lang": "Galician",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "incerteza"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Unsicherheit"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Ungewissheit"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "avevaiótita",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "αβεβαιότητα"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "grc",
          "lang": "Ancient Greek",
          "roman": "adēlótēs",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "ἀδηλότης"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "word": "bizonytalanság"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "incertezza"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "ko",
          "lang": "Korean",
          "roman": "bulhwaksil",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "word": "불확실"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "la",
          "lang": "Latin",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "incertum"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "ms",
          "lang": "Malay",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "word": "ketidakpastian"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "mi",
          "lang": "Maori",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "word": "kumukumu"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "nn",
          "lang": "Norwegian Nynorsk",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "uvisse"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "ota",
          "lang": "Ottoman Turkish",
          "roman": "bellisizlik",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "word": "بللیسزلك"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "niepewność"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "incerteza"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "word": "incertitudine"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "word": "nesiguranță"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "neuvérennostʹ",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "неуве́ренность"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "somnénije",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "сомне́ние"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "gd",
          "lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "mì-chinnt"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "incertidumbre"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "incerteza"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "tags": [
            "common-gender"
          ],
          "word": "osäkerhet"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "tl",
          "lang": "Tagalog",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "word": "dikatiyakan"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "nevpévnenistʹ",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "невпе́вненість"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "nepévnistʹ",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "непе́вність"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 13 2",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "nevýznačenistʹ",
          "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "неви́значеність"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2023 December 27, Philip Haigh, “All eyes are on the DfT as rolling stock concerns deepen”, in RAIL, number 999, page 19",
          "text": "Despite these uncertainties, Clarke told MPs he was convinced of the need to order trains powered by batteries. He said: \"We're calling for a 'no regrets' order of battery trains because we see them always having a future. We see them being fundable, financeable, similar cost to diesel trains, and we know that however much electrification we would aspire to do, there's always going to be at least a third of the network that isn't electrified.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Something uncertain or ambiguous."
      ],
      "id": "en-uncertainty-en-noun-jcUn23AO",
      "links": [
        [
          "ambiguous",
          "ambiguous"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(countable) Something uncertain or ambiguous."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "8 91 1",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "something uncertain or ambiguous",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Unsicherheit"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "8 91 1",
          "code": "ko",
          "lang": "Korean",
          "roman": "bulhwaksilhan geot",
          "sense": "something uncertain or ambiguous",
          "word": "불확실한 것"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "8 91 1",
          "code": "ms",
          "lang": "Malay",
          "sense": "something uncertain or ambiguous",
          "word": "ketidakpastian"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "8 91 1",
          "code": "ota",
          "lang": "Ottoman Turkish",
          "roman": "bellisizlik",
          "sense": "something uncertain or ambiguous",
          "word": "بللیسزلك"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "8 91 1",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "something uncertain or ambiguous",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "incerteza"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "8 91 1",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "neuvérennostʹ",
          "sense": "something uncertain or ambiguous",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "неуве́ренность"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "8 91 1",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "nejásnostʹ",
          "sense": "something uncertain or ambiguous",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "нея́сность"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "8 91 1",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "neopredeljónnostʹ",
          "sense": "something uncertain or ambiguous",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "неопределённость"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Mathematics",
          "orig": "en:Mathematics",
          "parents": [
            "Formal sciences",
            "Sciences",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "34 6 60",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "49 7 45",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms suffixed with -ty",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A parameter that measures the dispersion of a range of measured values."
      ],
      "id": "en-uncertainty-en-noun-MMtAZ~zX",
      "links": [
        [
          "mathematics",
          "mathematics"
        ],
        [
          "parameter",
          "parameter"
        ],
        [
          "dispersion",
          "dispersion"
        ],
        [
          "range",
          "range"
        ],
        [
          "value",
          "value"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(uncountable, mathematics) A parameter that measures the dispersion of a range of measured values."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "mathematics",
        "sciences"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "4 2 94",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "pogréšnostʹ",
          "sense": "mathematics: a parameter that measures the dispersion",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "погре́шность"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 2 94",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "netóčnostʹ",
          "sense": "mathematics: a parameter that measures the dispersion",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "нето́чность"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 2 94",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "neopredeljónnostʹ",
          "sense": "mathematics: a parameter that measures the dispersion",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "неопределённость"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 2 94",
          "code": "tl",
          "lang": "Tagalog",
          "sense": "mathematics: a parameter that measures the dispersion",
          "word": "dikatiyakan"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ʌnˈsɜːtənti/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ʌnˈsɝtənti/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-uncertainty.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/ff/En-us-uncertainty.ogg/En-us-uncertainty.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/ff/En-us-uncertainty.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (US)"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "uncertainness"
    }
  ],
  "word": "uncertainty"
}
{
  "antonyms": [
    {
      "word": "certainty"
    }
  ],
  "categories": [
    "English 4-syllable words",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms derived from Middle English",
    "English terms inherited from Middle English",
    "English terms prefixed with un-",
    "English terms suffixed with -ty",
    "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "English terms with audio links",
    "English uncountable nouns",
    "Requests for review of Dutch translations"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "corridor of uncertainty"
    },
    {
      "word": "Heisenberg uncertainty principle"
    },
    {
      "word": "Knightian uncertainty"
    },
    {
      "word": "uncertainty aversion"
    },
    {
      "word": "uncertainty principle"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "uncerteynte"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English uncerteynte",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "un",
        "3": "certainty"
      },
      "expansion": "un- + certainty",
      "name": "prefix"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "uncertain",
        "3": "ty"
      },
      "expansion": "uncertain + -ty",
      "name": "suffix"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English uncerteynte; equivalent to un- + certainty or uncertain + -ty.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "uncertainties",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "~"
      },
      "expansion": "uncertainty (countable and uncountable, plural uncertainties)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English uncountable nouns"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2012 April 9, Mandeep Sanghera, “Tottenham 1-2 Norwich”, in BBC Sport",
          "text": "After spending so much of the season looking upwards, the swashbuckling style and swagger of early season Spurs was replaced by uncertainty and frustration against a Norwich side who had the quality and verve to take advantage",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2018 May 17, “Corbynomics would change Britain—but not in the way most people think”, in The Economist",
          "text": "Piecing together Corbynomics is difficult, not least because it has evolved during Mr Corbyn’s time in charge of Labour. The gulf between the Labour leadership’s past positions and the milder proposals in the manifesto means that enormous uncertainty hangs over what a Corbyn-led government would do in office.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2024 January 10, Howard Johnston, “Launched for enthusiasts - now it's for everyone”, in RAIL, number 1000, page 28",
          "text": "It's a full circle. Over the past 43 years, RAIL has reported on how the railways have gone from uncertainty under government control to sectorisation, privatisation, and back to uncertainty under government control.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Doubt; the condition of being uncertain or without conviction."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Doubt",
          "doubt"
        ],
        [
          "condition",
          "condition"
        ],
        [
          "uncertain",
          "uncertain"
        ],
        [
          "conviction",
          "conviction"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(uncountable) Doubt; the condition of being uncertain or without conviction."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English countable nouns",
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2023 December 27, Philip Haigh, “All eyes are on the DfT as rolling stock concerns deepen”, in RAIL, number 999, page 19",
          "text": "Despite these uncertainties, Clarke told MPs he was convinced of the need to order trains powered by batteries. He said: \"We're calling for a 'no regrets' order of battery trains because we see them always having a future. We see them being fundable, financeable, similar cost to diesel trains, and we know that however much electrification we would aspire to do, there's always going to be at least a third of the network that isn't electrified.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Something uncertain or ambiguous."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "ambiguous",
          "ambiguous"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(countable) Something uncertain or ambiguous."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English uncountable nouns",
        "en:Mathematics"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A parameter that measures the dispersion of a range of measured values."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "mathematics",
          "mathematics"
        ],
        [
          "parameter",
          "parameter"
        ],
        [
          "dispersion",
          "dispersion"
        ],
        [
          "range",
          "range"
        ],
        [
          "value",
          "value"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(uncountable, mathematics) A parameter that measures the dispersion of a range of measured values."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "mathematics",
        "sciences"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ʌnˈsɜːtənti/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ʌnˈsɝtənti/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-uncertainty.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/ff/En-us-uncertainty.ogg/En-us-uncertainty.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/ff/En-us-uncertainty.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (US)"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "uncertainness"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "be",
      "lang": "Belarusian",
      "roman": "njaŭpeŭnjenascʹ",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "няўпэўненасць"
    },
    {
      "code": "be",
      "lang": "Belarusian",
      "roman": "sumnjeŭ",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "сумнеў"
    },
    {
      "code": "be",
      "lang": "Belarusian",
      "roman": "panjavjerka",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "паняверка"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "nesigurnost",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "несигурност"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "incertesa"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "bù què dìng xìng",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "word": "不确定性"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "nejistota"
    },
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "tags": [
        "common-gender"
      ],
      "word": "usikkerhed"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "onzekerheid"
    },
    {
      "code": "eo",
      "lang": "Esperanto",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "word": "necerteco"
    },
    {
      "code": "eo",
      "lang": "Esperanto",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "word": "malcerteco"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "word": "epävarmuus"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "incertitude"
    },
    {
      "code": "gl",
      "lang": "Galician",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "incerteza"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Unsicherheit"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Ungewissheit"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "avevaiótita",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "αβεβαιότητα"
    },
    {
      "code": "grc",
      "lang": "Ancient Greek",
      "roman": "adēlótēs",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "ἀδηλότης"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "word": "bizonytalanság"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "incertezza"
    },
    {
      "code": "ko",
      "lang": "Korean",
      "roman": "bulhwaksil",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "word": "불확실"
    },
    {
      "code": "la",
      "lang": "Latin",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "incertum"
    },
    {
      "code": "ms",
      "lang": "Malay",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "word": "ketidakpastian"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Maori",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "word": "kumukumu"
    },
    {
      "code": "nn",
      "lang": "Norwegian Nynorsk",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "uvisse"
    },
    {
      "code": "ota",
      "lang": "Ottoman Turkish",
      "roman": "bellisizlik",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "word": "بللیسزلك"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "niepewność"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "incerteza"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "word": "incertitudine"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "word": "nesiguranță"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "neuvérennostʹ",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "неуве́ренность"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "somnénije",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "сомне́ние"
    },
    {
      "code": "gd",
      "lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "mì-chinnt"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "incertidumbre"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "incerteza"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "tags": [
        "common-gender"
      ],
      "word": "osäkerhet"
    },
    {
      "code": "tl",
      "lang": "Tagalog",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "word": "dikatiyakan"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "nevpévnenistʹ",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "невпе́вненість"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "nepévnistʹ",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "непе́вність"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "nevýznačenistʹ",
      "sense": "doubt; the condition of being uncertain",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "неви́значеність"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "something uncertain or ambiguous",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Unsicherheit"
    },
    {
      "code": "ko",
      "lang": "Korean",
      "roman": "bulhwaksilhan geot",
      "sense": "something uncertain or ambiguous",
      "word": "불확실한 것"
    },
    {
      "code": "ms",
      "lang": "Malay",
      "sense": "something uncertain or ambiguous",
      "word": "ketidakpastian"
    },
    {
      "code": "ota",
      "lang": "Ottoman Turkish",
      "roman": "bellisizlik",
      "sense": "something uncertain or ambiguous",
      "word": "بللیسزلك"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "something uncertain or ambiguous",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "incerteza"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "neuvérennostʹ",
      "sense": "something uncertain or ambiguous",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "неуве́ренность"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "nejásnostʹ",
      "sense": "something uncertain or ambiguous",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "нея́сность"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "neopredeljónnostʹ",
      "sense": "something uncertain or ambiguous",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "неопределённость"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "pogréšnostʹ",
      "sense": "mathematics: a parameter that measures the dispersion",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "погре́шность"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "netóčnostʹ",
      "sense": "mathematics: a parameter that measures the dispersion",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "нето́чность"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "neopredeljónnostʹ",
      "sense": "mathematics: a parameter that measures the dispersion",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "неопределённость"
    },
    {
      "code": "tl",
      "lang": "Tagalog",
      "sense": "mathematics: a parameter that measures the dispersion",
      "word": "dikatiyakan"
    }
  ],
  "word": "uncertainty"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable All languages combined dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-05-03 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-05-02 using wiktextract (f4fd8c9 and c9440ce). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.