Langimage
English

unclearly

|un/clear/ly|

B2

🇺🇸

/ʌnˈklɪrli/

🇬🇧

/ʌnˈklɪəli/

(unclear)

lack of clarity

Base FormComparativeSuperlative
unclearunclearerunclearest
Etymology
Etymology Information

'unclearly' originates from the prefix 'un-' meaning 'not' and the word 'clear', which comes from Latin 'clarus' meaning 'bright, clear'.

Historical Evolution

'unclear' changed from the Old English word 'clǣre' and eventually became the modern English word 'clear'.

Meaning Changes

Initially, 'clear' meant 'bright or shining', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'easy to perceive or understand'.

Meanings by Part of Speech

Adverb 1

in a manner that is not clear or is difficult to understand.

The instructions were written unclearly, causing confusion.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:35