Uncertainty

Pronunciation

Origin

- + certainty.

Full definition of uncertainty

Noun

1. (uncountable) Doubt; the condition of being uncertain or without conviction.
• 1898, Winston Churchill, The Celebrity Chapter 4, “Well,” I answered, at first with uncertainty, then with inspiration, “he would do splendidly to lead your cotillon, if you think of having one.” ¶ “So you do not dance, Mr. Crocker?” ¶ I was somewhat set back by her perspicuity.
• 2012, April 9, Mandeep Sanghera, Tottenham 1-2 Norwich, After spending so much of the season looking upwards, the swashbuckling style and swagger of early season Spurs was replaced by uncertainty and frustration against a Norwich side who had the quality and verve to take advantage
2. (countable) Something uncertain or ambiguous.
3. (uncountable, mathematics) A parameter that measures the dispersion of a range of measured values.

Antonyms

• certainty