short-sided
|short-si-ded|
🇺🇸
/ˌʃɔrtˈsaɪdɪd/
🇬🇧
/ˌʃɔːtˈsaɪdɪd/
lacking foresight
Etymology
'short-sided' originates from English, specifically the compound of Old English words 'sceort' and 'sīde', where 'sceort' meant 'short' and 'sīde' meant 'side'.
'short-sided' developed as a compound in modern English and was reinforced by influence from the adjective 'short-sighted'; by the 19th century the figurative sense 'lacking foresight' became common.
Initially it could be used in a literal sense meaning 'having a short side' or limited physical extent, but over time it evolved into the figurative meaning 'lacking foresight or being myopic'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
lacking imagination or foresight; not considering long-term consequences.
The board's short-sided decision to cut R&D spending damaged the company's future prospects.
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Adjective 2
having poor distance vision; myopic (literal, about eyesight).
After spending years without glasses he became noticeably short-sided and struggled to read signs from afar.
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Last updated: 2025/12/28 21:13