Dictionary

simplistically en · ADV

Etymology

Etymology tree English simplistic Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālisbor. Old French -albor. ▲ Latin -ālis Old French -elbor. ▲ Latin -ālisbor. Middle English -al Middle English -ly Middle English -ally English -ally English simplistically From simplistic + -ally.

Meanings

1. In a simplistic way.
   • He explained relativity, but very simplistically.
   • Natural questions to ask are: 'What counts as data? How do you collect data?' There are two different types of data which linguists typically work with in formulating grammars. The first is a recorded sample of speech or text (such a sample is known technically as a corpus of utterances); we assume (perhaps simplistically) that in general people speak and write well-formed sentences. […] 1988, Andrew Radford, Transformational Grammar, Cambridge: University Press, →ISBN, page 24:
2. Used to announce or excuse an oversimplified explanation or description. (Compare with in a nutshell.)
   • Simplistically, he was fired with pay.

Forms

Hypernyms

in other words · that is to say

Synonyms

in layman's terms (an oversimplified explanation or description)