different between imaginary vs dubious
imaginary
English
Etymology
From Middle French imaginaire, from Latin im?gin?rius (“relating to images, fancied”), from im?g?.
The mathematical sense derives from René Descartes's use (of the French imaginaire) in 1637, La Geometrie, to ridicule the notion of regarding non-real roots of polynomials as numbers. Although Descartes' usage was derogatory, the designation stuck even after the concept gained acceptance in the 18th century.
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /??mæd??n(?)?i/
- (General American) IPA(key): /??mæd???n??i/
Adjective
imaginary (comparative more imaginary, superlative most imaginary)
- Existing only in the imagination.
- Wilt thou add to all the griefs I suffer / Imaginary ills and fancied tortures?
- (mathematics, of a number) Having no real part; that part of a complex number which is a multiple of (called imaginary unit).
Synonyms
- (existing only in the imagination): all in one's head
Derived terms
- imaginarily
- imaginariness
- imaginarity
- imaginary number
- imaginary unit
Translations
Noun
imaginary (plural imaginaries)
- Imagination; fancy. [from 16th c.]
- 2002, Colin Jones, The Great Nation, Penguin 2003, p. 324:
- By then too Mozart's opera, from Da Ponte's libretto, had made Figaro a stock character in the European imaginary and set the whole Continent whistling Mozartian airs and chuckling at Figaresque humour.
- 2002, Colin Jones, The Great Nation, Penguin 2003, p. 324:
- (mathematics) An imaginary quantity. [from 18th c.]
- (sociology) The set of values, institutions, laws, and symbols common to a particular social group and the corresponding society through which people imagine their social whole.
References
imaginary From the web:
- what imaginary line
- what imaginary lines are based on the equator
- what imaginary numbers
- what imaginary mean
- what imaginary lines of latitude and longitude
- what imaginary numbers are used for
- what imaginary animal am i
- what imaginary creature are you quiz
dubious
English
Etymology
From Latin dubius; like doubt, from Latin duo (cognate to English two), implying “two alternatives” (yes or no, true or false, etc.).
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /?dju?bi.?s/
- (US) IPA(key): /?du.bi.?s/
- Rhymes: -u?bi?s
Adjective
dubious (comparative more dubious, superlative most dubious)
- (of a statement) Arousing doubt; questionable; open to suspicion.
- 2011, Nigel Jones, "A Tale of Two Scandals", History Today, February 2011, Vol. 61 Issue 2, pages 10–17
- Evasive, womanising, boastful, malicious, untrustworthy, an inveterate gambler who combined his mediocre military career with running a high-class brothel, permanently cash strapped and viciously quarrelsome, his character is as dubious as his unsavoury appearance.
- 2011, Nigel Jones, "A Tale of Two Scandals", History Today, February 2011, Vol. 61 Issue 2, pages 10–17
- (of a person) In disbelief; wavering, uncertain, or hesitating in opinion; inclined to doubt; undecided.
- She was dubious about my plan at first, but later I managed to persuade her to cooperate.
- 2010, John M. Broder, "Global Climate-Change Talks Begin in Cancun With More Modest Expectations", New York Times, November 30, Section A, Column 0, Foreign Desk, page 12
- Last year, President Obama had large majorities in Congress and hopes of passing a comprehensive climate and energy bill. Next year, he faces a new Congress much more dubious about the reality of climate change and considerably more hostile to international efforts to deal with it.
- (chess, chiefly of an opening move) Generally considered imprecise or wrong, but not totally unplayable.
Usage notes
Largely synonymous with doubtful, when used of statements or facts, dubious is used when the statement is a cause of doubt, while doubtful is used when a fact is in doubt. For example, “the company’s earnings report was dubious” vs. “his chances for recovery are doubtful”.
Derived terms
- dubious honor / dubious honour
- dubiously
- dubiousness
Translations
See also
- doubtful
- doubt
References
See also
- (?)
dubious From the web:
- what dubious mean
- what dubious merit mean
- what dubious means in spanish
- what dubious consent mean
- what dubious distinction mean
- dubious what does it mean
- dubious what is the definition
- what is dubious consent
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