indistinctly-made
|in-dis-tinct-ly-made|
🇺🇸
/ˌɪndɪˈstɪŋktli meɪd/
🇬🇧
/ˌɪndɪˈstɪŋ(k)tli meɪd/
made not clear
Etymology
'indistinctly-made' originates from English, specifically formed from the negative prefix 'in-' + 'distinct' + the adverbial suffix '-ly' + past participle 'made'. Here 'in-' meant 'not', 'distinct' ultimately comes from Latin 'distinctus' meaning 'separated/clear', '-ly' forms an adverb, and 'made' is the past participle of 'make'.
'distinct' comes from Latin 'distinctus' (from 'distinguere' 'to separate, to mark off'), which passed into Old French and Middle English as 'distinct'. 'Make' comes from Old English 'macian' (to make). The compound sense 'indistinctly made' is a modern English formation combining these elements to describe something 'made' in an indistinct way.
Initially the elements meant 'not' + 'clear/separate' + 'in the manner of' + 'made'; over time they were combined into a descriptive compound meaning 'produced in a manner that results in indistinctness'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
made in an indistinct or unclear manner; lacking clear detail, definition, or sharpness.
The photograph was indistinctly-made, so the faces could not be recognized.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Adjective 2
describing something produced or constructed in a way that results in indistinctness (i.e., the state resulting from being made indistinct).
The model's features looked indistinctly-made under the dim light.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/25 02:21