adversity

Pronunciation: /ædˈvɝ.sɪ.ti/

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C1 — Advanced

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a state of misfortune or affliction
  2. noun a stroke of ill fortune; a calamitous event

Etymology

From Old French adversité, from Latin adversitātem, the accusative singular of adversitās, from adversus, the perfect passive participle of advertō (“to turn toward”).

In classic literature

Synonyms

hardship, hard knocks

Semantic network

Broader (hypernyms)
misfortune
Narrower (hyponyms)
victimization, catastrophe, ill-being, distress, extremity, nadir

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