Difficult Definition
dĭfĭ-kŭlt, -kəlt
adjective
Hard to do, make, manage, understand, etc.; requiring extra effort, skill, or thought.
Webster's New World
Not easy to endure; full of hardship or trouble; trying.
Fell upon difficult times.
American Heritage
Having or characterized by difficulties or troubles.
Stocks holding up despite a difficult economy.
Webster's New World
Not easy to comprehend, solve, or explain.
A difficult puzzle.
American Heritage
Hard to satisfy, persuade, please, etc.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
Origin of Difficult
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From difficulty, from Middle English difficultee, from Old French difficulté, from Latin difficultas, from difficul, older form of difficilis (“hard to do, difficult”), from dis- + facilis (“easy”); see difficile.
From Wiktionary
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Middle English back-formation from difficulte difficulty difficulty
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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