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obtuse

Meanings
  • adjective

    Having an angle greater than 90 degrees but less than 180 degrees.

    - "The angle between the two lines is obtuse."
    - "The obtuse angle measures 135 degrees."
  • adjective

    Lacking intelligence or understanding; slow-witted.

    - "His obtuse remarks made everyone cringe."
    - "Despite her best efforts, she couldn't understand the obtuse concept."
Pronunciation




  1. Source: "https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=75834245"
  2. /ɑb-/



    Source: "https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=278949"
Antonyms

clear , sharp , bright , intelligent , on the ball , quick off the mark , quick-witted , sharp , smart , pointed , sharp , acute , acute-angled , acute
Synonyms

dense , dim , dim-witted , thick , blunt , dull , deadened , muffled , obtuse-angled
Rhymes
Words rhyming with obtuse
muse , abuse , refuse , improve , dew
Homophones
Words having the same pronunciation but different meanings, origins, or spelling,

  1. obtuse (English) : Having an angle greater than 90 degrees but less than 180 degrees.

  2. obtuse (English) : Lacking intelligence or understanding; slow-witted.

  3. obtuse (Spanish) : Blunt, dull.

Variants
List of all variants of obtuse that leads to same result
obtuse , obtusely , obtuseness , obtusenesses , obtuser , obtusest
Forms
Different forms of the word (e.g., verb conjugations, plural forms, comparative/superlative forms for adjectives).

obtuse (adj), obtusely (adv)

Etymology
origin and the way in which meanings have changed throughout history.

From the Latin word 'obtusus', meaning 'dull, blunt'.

Trivia
Any details, considerations, events or pieces of information regarding the word

  1. The term 'obtuse' comes from the Latin word 'obtusus', meaning 'dull, blunt'.

  2. An obtuse angle is also referred to as a 'reflex angle' because its measure is greater than 180 degrees when measured in a clockwise direction.

Related Concepts
informations on related concepts or terms closely associated with the word. Discuss semantic fields or domains that the word belongs to

  1. acute angle: An angle that measures less than 90 degrees.

  2. right angle: An angle that measures exactly 90 degrees.

Quotes
Quotes by authors and personalities

  1. In fact, he was too "obtuse" even to realize that his assignment to Tejas was a demotion …

    - James A. Michener,{it}Texas{/it},1985

  2. Murdoch's art, like all good art, is highly structured and controlled—a house neat and clean enough to satisfy the most morally "obtuse" of her upper-class British characters.

    - Martha C. Nussbaum,{it}New Republic{/it},31 Dec. 2001 & 7 Jan. 2002

  3. Only the most "obtuse" missed the main message: humans risked so distorting the natural order that they were sentencing themselves to be destroyed by frost or furnace.

    - Joseph A. Amato,{it}Dust{/it},2000

  4. … either he, and the other people in his shop, and two people I subsequently ask are incapable of giving directions, or I am too rattled and "obtuse" to follow them, but I cannot find the police station.

    - Renata Adler,{it}Pitch Dark{/it},1983
Culture
Any cultural, historical, or symbolic significance of the word. Explore how the word has been used in literature, art, music, or other forms of expression.

In literature, the term 'obtuse' is often used figuratively to describe a character who is slow to understand or grasp a situation. In art, an obtuse triangle is one whose angle is greater than 90 degrees but less than 180 degrees.

How to Memorize "obtuse"

  1. visualize

    - Imagine an angle greater than 90 degrees but less than 180 degrees.

  2. associate

    - Associate the term with a person who is slow to understand.

  3. mnemonics

    - Remember the phrase 'over 90, under 180' to help remember the definition of an obtuse angle.

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