ludicrous
Definitions
So absurd or unreasonable as to be laughable.
荒谬可笑的，滑稽的。
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedFrom Latin lūdicrus 'sportive, done in play' (from lūdere, to play) + -ous. This is the literal branch of lud: something so playful and unserious that it tips over into the absurd. Over time the 'sportive' sense faded and only 'laughably absurd' remained.
Root lud still carries 22 more wordsCommon Collocations
- 1.absolutely ludicrous完全荒谬的
- 2.ludicrous idea荒谬的想法
- 3.ludicrous claim荒唐的主张
- 4.sound ludicrous听起来荒唐
Example Sentences
- 1.
The idea that he could finish in a day is ludicrous.
- 2.
She wore a ludicrous hat covered in plastic fruit.
- 3.
The prices in that shop are absolutely ludicrous.
Easily Confused
ludicrous vs ridiculous — they overlap as 'absurd,' but ridiculous comes from a different root (rīdēre, to laugh) and is the everyday word for anything silly or unreasonable. ludicrous is stronger and more literary, stressing that something is so over-the-top it almost defies belief. Note: ludicrous is from lud (play); ridiculous is NOT.