Added 9 October 2026
adversity
/ædˈvɜː.sɪ.ti/ noun
Latin root: adversitātem Wiktionary
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about adversity at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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A state of misfortune or affliction.
debt-ridden farmers struggling with adversity
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A stroke of ill fortune; a calamitous event.
a period marked by adversities
Origin
From Old French adversité, from Latin adversitātem, the accusative singular of adversitās, from adversus, the perfect passive participle of advertō (“to turn toward”).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)