What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Pothole vs Problem - What's the difference?

pothole | problem |

As nouns the difference between pothole and problem

is that pothole is a shallow pit or other edged depression in a road's surface, especially when caused by erosion by weather or traffic or pothole can be (archaeology) a pit resulting from unauthorized excavation by treasure hunters or vandals while problem is a difficulty that has to be resolved or dealt with.

As an adjective problem is

difficult to train or guide; unruly.

pothole

English

Etymology 1

c 1826, from (etyl) + (hole)

Noun

(en noun)
  • A shallow pit or other edged depression in a road's surface, especially when caused by erosion by weather or traffic.
  • A pit formed in the bed of a turbulent stream.
  • * The earliest ideas on the creation of potholes''' are that they were associated with "moulins de glacier" (glacier mills) formed where surface streams on glaciers and ice sheets fall into holes in the ice. Water entering these surficial holes was believed to impact on the bedrock beneath creating a large '''pothole'''. The "Moulin Hypothesis", first suggested in 1874, continued to be accepted by many authors until the 1950s. However, commencing in the 1930s, other authors have suggested dissatisfaction with the moulin hypothesis, largely on the grounds that it failed to explain how ice could remain stable long enough for the "giant" '''potholes''' to form and why many '''potholes (like those at Rockwood) were present in large numbers. Grand River Conservation Authority (Canada) Newsletter of May-June 2002.
  • (geology) A vertical cave system, often found in limestone.
  • Synonyms
    * (large pit in the bed of a stream) giant kettle
    Derived terms
    * potholing

    See also

    * sinkhole

    Etymology 2

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (archaeology) A pit resulting from unauthorized excavation by treasure hunters or vandals.
  • problem

    Alternative forms

    * probleme (obsolete)

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • A difficulty that has to be resolved or dealt with.
  • :
  • *
  • *:“[…] it is not fair of you to bring against mankind double weapons ! Dangerous enough you are as woman alone, without bringing to your aid those gifts of mind suited to problems which men have been accustomed to arrogate to themselves.”
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2014-03-07, author= Nicole Vulser
  • , volume=190, issue=13, page=30, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Perfume manufacturers must cope with the scarcity of precious supplies , passage=The perfume industry is facing a major problem : maintaining constant levels of quality is crucial, but it is increasingly difficult to obtain a regular supply of all the necessary natural ingredients.}}
  • A question to be answered, schoolwork exercise.
  • A puzzling circumstance.
  • Antonyms

    * solution

    Derived terms

    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Difficult to train or guide; unruly.
  • See also

    * trouble

    Noun

  • a (l)
  • ----