conundrum
A difficult question or riddle, especially one using a play on words in the answerA difficult question or riddle, especially one using a play on words in the answer.
» The question of free will is a prickly conundrum to religion.
Meaning
2 sensesA difficult question or riddle, especially one using a play on words in the answer.
Rätsel, Scherzfrage, schwierige Frage
зага́дкаzagádka, головоло́мкаgolovolómka
A difficult choice or decision that must be made.
Dilemma, Qual der Wahl, Entscheidungsfrage
диле́ммаdilémma
a difficult problem
Examples
5 sentencesThe question of free will is a prickly conundrum to religion.
Even the leading scientists of the day were left baffled by the conundrum.
Tom faces a conundrum.
He solved the conundrum.
Julia was supposed to help me with my project, but her absence has left me in quite the conundrum.
Translations
8 languagesBy meaning 2
By meaning 2
Origin
A word of unknown origin with several variants, gaining popularity for its burlesque imitaA word of unknown origin with several variants, gaining popularity for its burlesque imitation of scholastic Latin, as hocus-pocus or panjandrum. If there is more to its origin than a nonce coinage, Anatoly Liberman suggests the best theory is that connecting it with the Conimbricenses, 16th c. scholastic commentaries on Aristotle by the Jesuits of Coimbra which indulge heavily in arguments relying on multiple significations of words.
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Forms
plural: conundrums / conundra| Singular | conundrum |
|---|---|
| Plural | conundrums / conundra |
regular
Synonyms
12 synonyms- a difficult problem:riddleenigmabrain-teaser
Word family
1 related wordsLessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Plural nouns — Because its plural is irregular