loosely-defined
|loose-ly-de-fined|
/ˈluːsli dɪˈfaɪnd/
vague definition
Etymology
'loosely-defined' originates from the combination of 'loose' and 'define', where 'loose' meant 'not tight' and 'define' meant 'to state or describe exactly the nature, scope, or meaning of something'.
'loose' changed from Old English 'lēas' meaning 'free from' and 'define' from Latin 'definire', eventually becoming the modern English word 'loosely-defined'.
Initially, 'loosely-defined' meant 'not tightly defined', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'vague or ambiguous'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
not clearly or precisely defined; vague or ambiguous.
The term 'freedom' is often loosely-defined in political discourse.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/04/29 01:51