absurd en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /æbˈzɚd/ (Canada, General-American)
- (US) audio
- /əbˈsɚd/ (Canada, General-American)
- /əbˈzɚd/ (Canada, General-American)
- /əbˈsɜːd/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /æbˈsɚd/ (Canada, General-American)
- /əbˈzɜːd/ (Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
First attested in 1557. From Middle French absurde, from Latin absurdus (“incongruous, dissonant, out of tune”), from ab (“away from, out”) + surdus (“silent, deaf, dull-sounding”). Compare surd.
Meanings
-
Contrary to reason or propriety; obviously and flatly opposed to manifest truth; inconsistent with the plain dictates of common sense; logically contradictory; nonsensical; ridiculous; silly.
I know it sounds absurd / But please, tell me who I am
1979, “The Logical Song”, in Roger Hodgson (lyrics), Breakfast in America, performed by Supertramp:This proffer is absurd and reasonless.
1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Sixt”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iv]:'Tis phrase absurd to call a villain great
1734, [Alexander Pope], An Essay on Man. […], epistle IV, London: […] J[ohn] Wilford, […], →OCLC:“Perhaps it is because I have been excommunicated. It's absurd, but I feel like the Jackdaw of Rheims.” ¶ She winced and bowed her head. Each time that he spoke flippantly of the Church he caused her pain.
1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XVII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
- (obsolete) Inharmonious; dissonant.
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Having no rational or orderly relationship to people's lives; meaningless; lacking order or value.
Adults have condemned them to live in what must seem like an absurd universe.
1968 March 2, Joseph Featherstone, “A New Kind of Schooling”, in The New Republic:
- Dealing with absurdism.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| absurdest | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more absurd | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| most absurd | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| absurder | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |
Deriveds
absurdly · absurdification · unabsurd · nonabsurd · absurdify · Absurdistan · reduction to the absurd · absurdness · absurdity
Hypernyms
Relateds
Synonyms
nonsensical · preposterous · incongruous · preposterous · ridiculous · skimble-skamble · incongruous · cockamamie · unreasonable · irrational · cockeyed · absurd · laughable · priceless · foolish · farcical · ridiculous · full of it · Laputan · inconsistent · ludicrous · ludicrous · irrational · jabberwocky · foolish · inconsistent · rich
Translations (87)
ko 황당하다 (contrary to reason or propriety) · nan-hbl 譀古 /𰶆古 (contrary to reason or propriety) · ia absurde (contrary to reason or propriety) · nb meningsløs (contrary to reason or propriety) · bg абсу́рден (contrary to reason or propriety) · km ផ្ដាស (contrary to reason or propriety) · cmn 荒謬 /荒谬 (contrary to reason or propriety) · hu abszurd (contrary to reason or propriety) · el παράλογος (contrary to reason or propriety) · ar سَخِيف (contrary to reason or propriety) · fr absurde (contrary to reason or propriety) · bg безсми́слен (contrary to reason or propriety) · ru неле́пый (contrary to reason or propriety) · nl absurd (contrary to reason or propriety) · ja 愚か (contrary to reason or propriety) · he אבסורד (contrary to reason or propriety) · vi hoang đường (contrary to reason or propriety) · io absurda (contrary to reason or propriety) · ja 荒唐な (contrary to reason or propriety) · be абсу́рдны (contrary to reason or propriety) · da meningsløs (contrary to reason or propriety) · ca absurd (contrary to reason or propriety) · yi אַבסורד (contrary to reason or propriety) · id absurd (contrary to reason or propriety) · hy աբսուրդ (contrary to reason or propriety) · ko 불합리하다 (contrary to reason or propriety) · pt absurdo (contrary to reason or propriety) · gv meecheeallagh (contrary to reason or propriety) · pl niedorzeczny (contrary to reason or propriety) · lv bezjēdzīgs (contrary to reason or propriety) · la absurdus (contrary to reason or propriety) · nn absurd (contrary to reason or propriety) · th บ้า (contrary to reason or propriety) · id tak masuk akal (contrary to reason or propriety) · be бязглу́зды (contrary to reason or propriety) · sv absurd (contrary to reason or propriety) · es absurdo (contrary to reason or propriety) · sh bèsmislen (contrary to reason or propriety) · nb absurd (contrary to reason or propriety) · cmn 悖謬 /悖谬 (contrary to reason or propriety) · gd amaideach (contrary to reason or propriety) · ru абсу́рдный (contrary to reason or propriety) · da forrykt (contrary to reason or propriety) · cs absurdní (contrary to reason or propriety) · ka მცდარი (contrary to reason or propriety) · bg неле́п (contrary to reason or propriety) · ro irațional (contrary to reason or propriety) · tr abes (contrary to reason or propriety) · da åndssvag (contrary to reason or propriety) · pdt onveninftich (contrary to reason or propriety) · et absurdne (contrary to reason or propriety) · pl bezsensowny (contrary to reason or propriety) · uk безглу́здий (contrary to reason or propriety) · pl absurdalny (contrary to reason or propriety) · lv absurds (contrary to reason or propriety) · da absurd (contrary to reason or propriety) · fi järjetön (contrary to reason or propriety) · sv befängd (contrary to reason or propriety) · tr ipe sapa gelmez (contrary to reason or propriety) · ka აბსურდული (contrary to reason or propriety) · mn учир утгагүй (contrary to reason or propriety) · mk апсурден (contrary to reason or propriety) · tr saçma (contrary to reason or propriety) · ar عَبَثِيّ (contrary to reason or propriety) · km ព្រើល (contrary to reason or propriety) · eo absurda (contrary to reason or propriety) · cmn 荒唐 (contrary to reason or propriety) · fi absurdi (contrary to reason or propriety) · ja 馬鹿らしい (contrary to reason or propriety) · de absurd (contrary to reason or propriety) · nn meiningslaus (contrary to reason or propriety) · it assurdo (contrary to reason or propriety) · sl absúrden (contrary to reason or propriety) · uk абсу́рдний (contrary to reason or propriety) · mi haraki (contrary to reason or propriety) · sq absurd (contrary to reason or propriety) · hy անհեթեթ (contrary to reason or propriety) · ka უაზრო (contrary to reason or propriety) · be недарэ́чны (contrary to reason or propriety) · tr absürt (contrary to reason or propriety) · sk absurdný (contrary to reason or propriety) · tr saçmalık (contrary to reason or propriety) · nb tåpelig (contrary to reason or propriety) · et mõttetu (contrary to reason or propriety) · ro absurd (contrary to reason or propriety) · cmn 荒誕 /荒诞 (contrary to reason or propriety) · gl absurdo (contrary to reason or propriety)