Erratic vs Equivocal - What's the difference?
erratic | equivocal |
unsteady, random; prone to unexpected changes; not consistent
Deviating from the common course in opinion or conduct; eccentric; odd.
(geology) A rock moved from one location to another, usually by a glacier.
* 2003 , (Bill Bryson), A Short History of Nearly Everything , BCA 2003, p. 372:
Anything that has erratic characteristics.
Having two or more equally applicable meanings; capable of double or multiple interpretation; ambiguous; uncertain.
* Jeffrey
Capable of being ascribed to different motives, or of signifying opposite feelings, purposes, or characters; deserving to be suspected.
* Milton
Uncertain, as an indication or sign; doubtful, incongruous.
* Burke
As adjectives the difference between erratic and equivocal
is that erratic is unsteady, random; prone to unexpected changes; not consistent while equivocal is having two or more equally applicable meanings; capable of double or multiple interpretation; ambiguous; uncertain.As nouns the difference between erratic and equivocal
is that erratic is (geology) a rock moved from one location to another, usually by a glacier while equivocal is a word or expression capable of different meanings; an ambiguous term; an equivoque.erratic
English
Alternative forms
* erratick, erraticke, erratique (obsolete)Adjective
(en adjective)- Henry has been getting erratic scores on his tests: 40% last week, but 98% this week.
- erratic conduct
Derived terms
* erraticallyAntonyms
* consistentNoun
(en noun)- The term for a displaced boulder is an erratic , but in the nineteenth century the expression seemed to apply more often to the theories than to the rocks.
Anagrams
*equivocal
English
(Webster 1913)Alternative forms
* (rare)Synonyms
* double entendreAdjective
(en adjective)- equivocal''' words; an '''equivocal sentence
- For the beauties of Shakespeare are not of so dim or equivocal a nature as to be visible only to learned eyes.
- His actions are equivocal .
- equivocal repentances
- How equivocal a test.