OBTUSE
Dictionary entry overview: What does obtuse mean?
• OBTUSE (adjective)
The adjective OBTUSE has 4 senses:
1. of an angle; between 90 and 180 degrees
2. of a leaf shape; rounded at the apex
3. lacking in insight or discernment
4. slow to learn or understand; lacking intellectual acuity
Familiarity information: OBTUSE used as an adjective is uncommon.
Dictionary entry details
• OBTUSE (adjective)
Meaning:
Of an angle; between 90 and 180 degrees
Antonym:
acute (of an angle; less than 90 degrees)
Meaning:
Of a leaf shape; rounded at the apex
Similar:
simple; unsubdivided ((botany) of leaf shapes; of leaves having no divisions or subdivisions)
Meaning:
Lacking in insight or discernment
Synonyms:
purblind; obtuse
Context examples:
too obtuse to grasp the implications of his behavior / a purblind oligarchy that flatly refused to see that history was condemning it to the dustbin
Similar:
undiscerning (lacking discernment)
Meaning:
Slow to learn or understand; lacking intellectual acuity
Synonyms:
dumb; slow; obtuse; dense; dim; dull
Context examples:
so dense he never understands anything I say to him / never met anyone quite so dim / although dull at classical learning, at mathematics he was uncommonly quick / dumb officials make some really dumb decisions / he was either normally stupid or being deliberately obtuse / worked with the slow students
Similar:
stupid (lacking or marked by lack of intellectual acuity)
