English Meaning & Definitions
Depending on the will or pleasure of another; dangerously lackine in security, stability, or steady foundation.
- “The mountain climber found himself in a precarious position on the edge of the cliff.”
- “Many small businesses are currently operating on a precarious financial footing.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “precarious”.
Derived from the Latin 'precarius', meaning 'obtained by prayer, begged, or relied on the favor of others', from 'prex' (prayer or entreaty). In the 17th century, the meaning shifted from 'dependent on the will of another' to its modern sense of dangerously unstable or uncertain, reflecting how fragile something is when it relies entirely on petition or chance.
Think of the phrase 'pray curious'—if you are walking on a tightrope, you pray and people are curious to see if you will fall because your position is so unstable.
Frequently Asked Questions About “precarious”
1. What is the meaning of “precarious” in English?
In English, precarious (adjective) is defined as: “Depending on the will or pleasure of another; dangerously lackine in security, stability, or steady foundation.”.
2. How do you use “precarious” in a sentence?
“The mountain climber found himself in a precarious position on the edge of the cliff.”
3. What are English synonyms of “precarious”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “precarious”?
Derived from the Latin 'precarius', meaning 'obtained by prayer, begged, or relied on the favor of others', from 'prex' (prayer or entreaty). In the 17th century, the meaning shifted from 'dependent on the will of another' to its modern sense of dangerously unstable or uncertain, reflecting how fragile something is when it relies entirely on petition or chance.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.