Uncertainty
Definition
Uncertainty denotes the state of being unsure or having doubt.
Parts of Speech
- Noun
Pronunciation
American English
- IPA Pronunciation: /ʌnˈsɜrtənti/
- Respelling: uhn-SUR-tuhn-tee (with "uhn" as a schwa sound like the 'u' in "fun," "SUR" as in "fur," "tuhn" as in "button," and "tee" as in "tea")
British English
- IPA Pronunciation: /ʌnˈsɜːtənti/
- Respelling: uhn-SUR-tuhn-tee (similar to American English, with "uhn" as in "fun," "SUR" like in "fur," "tuhn" as in "button," and "tee" as in "tea")
In both dialects, "uncertainty" is pronounced with the primary stress on the "SUR" syllable. The word starts with "uhn," a schwa sound similar to the 'u' in "fun," followed by "SUR," which sounds like "fur," then "tuhn," as in the ending of "button," and concludes with "tee," as in "tea." The pronunciation is quite similar between American and British English.
Etymology
The word "uncertainty" is derived from the prefix "un-", meaning "not", combined with "certainty", from the Latin "certus", meaning "sure" or "certain".
Derivatives
- Uncertainly
- Uncertain
- Uncertainties
- Uncertainness
- Uncertificated
Synonyms
- Ambiguity
- Doubtfulness
- Indeterminacy
Antonyms
- Certainty
- Clarity
- Definiteness
Usage
- "There is a high degree of uncertainty surrounding the outcome of the vote."
- "The fluctuating market added to the investor's feelings of uncertainty."
Related Terms
- Ambiguous
- Indeterminate
- Hesitation
- Unpredictability
- Variability
Detailed Definition
Noun
- State of Being Unsure: The quality or state of being uncertain or not definite.
- Example: There's a great deal of uncertainty about the future.
- Something that is Uncertain or that Causes Uncertainty: Something unknown, undecided, or doubtful.
- Example: Too many uncertainties in the business plan made it risky.
- Lack of Confidence: A lack of firmness or assurance.
- Example: His voice held a hint of uncertainty.
uncertainty
He faced uncertainty at the crossroads.
Uncertainty made her pause and think.
Too many uncertainties in the business plan made it risky.
🇨🇳 Mandarin
- 不确定性 (bù quèdìngxìng)
- IPA: /pu˨˩ t͡ɕʰyɛ˨˩ tɪŋ˥˩ɕɪŋ˥/
- Respelling: bu chwe-ding-xing
- 不明确 (bù míngquè)
- IPA: /pu˨˩ miŋ˥˩ t͡ɕhyɛ˨˩/
- Respelling: bu ming-chwe
🇮🇳 Hindi
- अनिश्चितता (aniścitā)
- IPA: /əniːʃt͡ʃɪt̪aː/
- Respelling: ani-shchitaa
- संदेह (sandēh)
- IPA: /sən.deːh/
- Respelling: san-deeh
🇪🇸 Spanish
- Incertidumbre
- IPA: /in.ser.tiˈdum.bre/
- Respelling: in-ser-ti-doom-bre
- Duda
- IPA: /ˈdu.da/
- Respelling: doo-da
🇫🇷 French
- Incertitude
- IPA: /ɛ̃.sɛʁ.ti.tyd/
- Respelling: in-sair-tee-tyood
- Doute
- IPA: /dut/
- Respelling: doot
🇸🇦 Modern Standard Arabic
- الشك (al-shakk)
- IPA: /aʃ.ʃakː/
- Respelling: ash-shakk
- عدم اليقين (ʿadam al-yaqīn)
- IPA: /ʕadam al.jaːˈqiːn/
- Respelling: 'adam al-yaa-keen
🇧🇩 Bengali
- অনিশ্চয়তা (aniścayatā)
- IPA: /ɔniʃt͡ʃɔjota/
- Respelling: onish-cho-yo-taa
🇷🇺 Russian
- Неопределенность (neopredelennost')
- IPA: /nʲɪɐprʲɪdʲɪˈljɛnːəsʲtʲ/
- Respelling: nee-o-pred-ye-len-nost'
- Сомнение (somneniye)
- IPA: /sɐmˈnʲenʲɪje/
- Respelling: som-nye-ni-ye
🇵🇹 Portuguese
- Incerteza
- IPA: /ĩ.sɛɾ.ˈte.zɐ/
- Respelling: in-ser-te-za
- Dúvida
- IPA: /ˈdu.vi.dɐ/
- Respelling: doo-vee-da
🇮🇩 Indonesian
- Ketidakpastian
- IPA: /kə.ti.daʔ.pas.ti.an/
- Respelling: ke-ti-dak-pas-tee-an
- Keraguan
- IPA: /kə.ra.ɡwan/
- Respelling: ke-ra-gwan
🇩🇪 German
- Unsicherheit
- IPA: /ʊnˈzɪçɐˌhaɪ̯t/
- Respelling: oon-zich-er-hait
- Zweifel
- IPA: /ˈt͡svaɪ̯fəl/
- Respelling: zvai-fel
🇯🇵 Japanese
- 不確実 (fukakujitsu)
- IPA: /ɸɯ̟ᵝka.kɯ̟ᵝ.d͡ʑi.tsɯ̟ᵝ/
- Respelling: fu-kaku-jitsu
- 疑問 (gimon)
- IPA: /ɡʲimoɴ/
- Respelling: gi-mon
🇻🇳 Vietnamese
- Sự không chắc chắn
- IPA: /sɨ˧ˀ˨ʔ kʷɔŋ˧˥ t͡ɕək˨˩ t͡ɕən˨˩/
- Respelling: su khong chak chan
🇰🇷 Korean
- 불확실성 (bulhwaḳsilseong)
- IPA: /pulɦwɛk͈ʃil.s͈ʌŋ/
- Respelling: bul-hwek-shil-seong
🇹🇷 Turkish
- Belirsizlik
- IPA: /belirˈsizlik/
- Respelling: belir-siz-lik
- Kuşku
- IPA: /kuʃku/
- Respelling: koosh-koo
🇵🇰 Urdu
- شک (shak)
- IPA: /ʃak/
- Respelling: shak
- عدم یقین (adam yaqīn)
- IPA: /ʕədəm jəˈqiːn/
- Respelling: 'adam ya-keen
