Indistinct
/ˌɪndɪˈstɪŋkt/
Definitions
Lacking clarity or definition; not easily perceived or distinguished.
/ˌɪndɪˈstɪŋkt/
Not clear or sharply defined; vague.
The artist painted an indistinct landscape with soft colors.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're looking at a blurry picture or hearing muffled sounds. If something is indistinct, it's like that – you can't see or hear it clearly. It’s a bit fuzzy!
👶 For kids: When something is indistinct, it's not very clear. It's like a blurry picture!
More Examples
The instructions were indistinct, so I had trouble assembling the furniture.
Through the fog, the buildings appeared as indistinct shapes.
How It's Used
"The photograph had an indistinct image of the figure."
"The sounds were indistinct in the distance."
"Her memories of childhood were becoming indistinct with time."
From Latin *indistinctus* (not distinct), from *in-* (not) + *distinctus* (distinguished, clear).
Used in various contexts since the 17th century, often in descriptions of vision, memory, and communication.
Memory tip
Think of IN (not) DISTINCT (clear). Something that is INDISTINCT is NOT clear.
Word Origin
"*in-* (not) + *distinctus* (distinguished, clear)"