ambiguous

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 21, 2011 is: ambiguous • \am-BIG-yuh-wus\  • adjective 1 a : doubtful or uncertain especially from obscurity or indistinctness b : inexplicable 2 : capable of being understood in two or more possible senses or ways Examples: Jane complained that her boss frequently gave her ambiguous instructions. "West Virginia's ambiguous law dictating how to fill a vacant U.S. Senate seat remains unchanged a year after its quirky wording set off a round of confusion and debate among state officials." -- From an article by Ry Rivard in the Charleston Daily Mail, March 30, 2011 Did you know? "Ambiguous," "obscure," "vague," "cryptic," and "equivocal" mean not clearly understandable. "Ambiguous" applies to language capable of more than one interpretation ("an ambiguous suggestion") and derives from the Latin verb "ambigere," meaning "to be undecided." "Obscure" implies a hiding or veiling of meaning through some inadequacy of expression or withholding of full knowledge ("obscure poems"). "Vague" implies a lack of clear formulation due to inadequate conception or consideration ("a vague sense of obligation"). "Cryptic" implies a deliberate attempt to confuse ("cryptic clues about the location of the buried treasure"). "Equivocal" is the best choice for language that creates a wrong or false impression, allowing for uncertainty or promoting mistaken interpretations ("the politician gave an equivocal answer"). See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.