Complete Definition of "absurd"

English

Etymology
Latin absurdus, harsh-sounding; ab + (probably) a derivative from the root svar, to sound; not connected with surd: compare French absurde.

Pronunciation
a|Canada|UK IPA|/æb�s��rd/
Rhymes: Rhymes:English:-��(r)d|-��(r)d
audio|en-us-absurd.ogg|Audio (US)

Adjective
en-adj|more absurd or absurder|most aburb or absurdest

  1. Contrary to reason or propriety; obviously and flatly opposed to manifest truth; inconsistent with the plain dictates of common sense; logically contradictory; nonsensical; ridiculous; as, an absurd person, an absurd opinion; an absurd dream.

#: Quotations
#:* This proffer is absurd and reasonless. - Shakespeare, Henry VI, Part I, V-iv
#:* This phrase absurd to call a villain great. - w:Alexander Pope

Usage notes
Among the synonyms:
Irrational is the weakest, denoting that which is plainly inconsistent with the dictates of sound reason; as, an irrational course of life.
Foolish rises higher, and implies either a perversion of that faculty, or an absolute weakness or fatuity of mind; as, foolish enterprises.
Absurd rises still higher, denoting that which is plainly opposed to received notions of propriety and truth; as, an absurd man, project, opinion, story, argument, etc.
Preposterous rises still higher, and supposes an absolute inversion in the order of things; or, in plain terms, a "putting of the cart before the horse;" as, a preposterous suggestion, preposterous conduct, a preposterous regulation or law.

Synonyms
foolish, irrational, ridiculous, preposterous, inconsistent, incongruous, ludicrous

Derived terms
absurdly, absurdity

Translations
trans-top|contrary to reason or propriety
Albanian: absurd
Danish: absurd, urimelig(t), latterlig(t), meningsløs(t), tåbelig(t)
Dutch: absurd
Estonian: absurdne
Finnish: absurdi (:fi:absurdi|Suomi), järjetön
French: absurde m|f
German: absurd#German|absurd
Hebrew: ��ס�ר��ת
Ido: absurda
Interlingua: absurde
Italian: assurdo m, assurda f
trans-mid
Japanese: t|ja|scJpan|馬鹿���|trbakarashī, t|ja|scJpan|���|trorokana
Latvian: absurdais bezj�dzīgais
Macedonian: ап���д
Norwegian: absurd, tåpelig
Novial: absurdi
Polish: absurd m
Portuguese: absurdo
Romanian: absurd, iraţional
Serbian: Apsurd
Spanish: absurdo
Swedish: absurd, befängd
trans-bottom

Noun
en-noun

  1. obsolete An absurdity. — Pope
  2. (with the) That which is absurd.

Derived terms
theatre of the absurd

Translations
trans-top|obsolete: an absurdity
Dutch: absurd n
trans-mid
Japanese: t|ja|scJpan|馬鹿|trbaka
trans-bottom

trans-top|that which is absurd
trans-mid
Japanese: t|ja|scJpan|��|trgudon
trans-bottom

checktrans

trans-top|translations to be checked
ttbc|Novial: absurde
trans-bottom

References
Webster 1913


German

Adjective
de-adj|comparativeabsurder|superlativeabsurdesten

  1. absurd#English|absurd

Swedish

Adjective
sv-adj-peri|2=absurt

  1. #English|absurd

ar:absurd
de:absurd
et:absurd
es:absurd
fa:absurd
fr:absurd
gl:absurd
io:absurd
it:absurd
csb:absurd
ku:absurd
hu:absurd
ml:absurd
nl:absurd
no:absurd
pl:absurd
pt:absurd
sq:absurd
fi:absurd
sv:absurd
ta:absurd
te:absurd
vi:absurd
tr:absurd
uk:absurd
zh:absurd

Revision and Credits for"absurd"
  • 2007-12-11 01:53 - Eveningmist - /* English */ Synonyms: moving; +Derived terms; Pronunciation: +Canada/Uk; Translations: correcting ja, +[[WT:TTBC|ttbc]]

  • Full Revision History
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