cumbersome
|cum-ber-some|
🇺🇸
/ˈkʌmbərsəm/
🇬🇧
/ˈkʌmbəsəm/
difficult to manage
Etymology
'cumbersome' originates from Middle English, specifically the word 'cumbrous,' where 'cumber' meant 'to hinder' and '-some' was a suffix forming adjectives.
'cumbrous' transformed into the modern English word 'cumbersome' through the addition of the suffix '-some.'
Initially, it meant 'hindering or obstructive,' but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'large and unwieldy.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
large or heavy and therefore difficult to carry or use; unwieldy.
The cumbersome package was hard to lift.
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Adjective 2
slow or complicated and therefore inefficient.
The cumbersome process delayed the project.
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Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:45