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obtuse

Syllabification: (ob·tuse)
Pronunciation: /əbˈt(y)o͞os, äb-/

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Definition of obtuse

adjective

  • 1annoyingly insensitive or slow to understand:he wondered if the doctor was being deliberately obtuse
  • difficult to understand:some of the lyrics are a bit obtuse
  • 2(of an angle) more than 90° and less than 180°.
  • not sharp-pointed or sharp-edged; blunt.

Derivatives

obtusely

adverb

obtuseness

noun

obtusity

Pronunciation: /-sitē/

noun

Origin:

late Middle English (in the sense 'blunt'): from Latin obtusus, past participle of obtundere 'beat against' (see obtund)

obtuse in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of obtuse in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

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