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Wiktionary The Free Dictionary

interesting

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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Etymology

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Etymology tree
English interest
Proto-Indo-European *-onts
Proto-Germanic *-andz
Proto-West Germanic *-andī
Old English -ende
▲さんかく
Middle English -ynge influ.
Middle English -ynge
English -ing
English interesting

    From interest + -ing .

    Pronunciation

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    • (Received Pronunciation ) IPA (key): /ˈɪntɹəstɪŋ/, /ˈɪntɹɛstɪŋ/
    • (US ) IPA (key): /ˈɪntəɹəstɪŋ/, /ˈɪntɹɛstɪŋ/, /ˈɪntɹɪstɪŋ/, /ˈɪn(t)əɹɛstɪŋ/, /ˈɪnt͡ʃɹɛstɪŋ/
    • Audio (US ): (file)
    • Audio (US ): (file)
    • Hyphenation: in‧ter‧est‧ing

    Adjective

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    interesting (comparative more interesting, superlative most interesting)

    1. Arousing or holding the attention or interest of someone.
      Synonyms: compelling , gripping , absorbing
      Antonyms: boring , soggy , uninteresting
      Cricket is not interesting to watch.
      • 2015年11月22日, Stan Lee, "Marvel's Stan Lee: 'I'd never really thought of doing comics for a living.'", The Guardian:
        Comics were just another form of entertainment to me, but it got to be more and more interesting every day.
    2. (euphemistic ) Pregnant . (used with situation and condition ) [from 18th c.]
      • 1751, [Tobias] Smollett, The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle [...] , volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), London: Harrison and Co., [...], →OCLC:
        I found myself in a fair way of being a mother; and that I might be near my own relations, in such an interesting situation, I and my dear companion departed from H—n, not without great reluctance [...].
      • 1838 March – 1839 October, Charles Dickens, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby , London: Chapman and Hall, [...], published 1839, →OCLC:
        Mrs Lenville (who, as has been before hinted, was in an interesting state) rushed from the rear rank of ladies, and uttering a piercing scream threw herself upon the body.
      • 1928, William Babington Maxwell, "Part II. Enid", in We Forget Because We Must, A Story of Decades and Lustres‎[1] , 1st edition, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Doran and Co., published 1928, →OCLC, page 45:
        I’m afraid I seem to make heavy weather of my interesting condition.
    3. (obsolete ) Of concern; affecting, important.

    Derived terms

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    Translations

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    arousing or holding the attention

    Verb

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    interesting

    1. present participle and gerund of interest

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