Knotty: meaning, definitions and examples

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knotty

 

[ หˆnษ’ti ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

woodwork

Having many knots or gnarls; intricately twisted or convoluted.

Synonyms

convoluted, gnarled, twisted

Examples of usage

  • The knotty pine paneling gave the room a rustic feel.
  • The knotty texture of the old tree trunk made it difficult to carve.
Context #2 | Adjective

problem

Complex and difficult to solve or untangle.

Synonyms

complex, complicated, tricky

Examples of usage

  • The situation presented a knotty problem that required careful consideration.
  • Her knotty dilemma left her feeling overwhelmed.
Context #3 | Adjective

hair

Tangled or matted, typically describing hair.

Synonyms

matted, messy, tangled

Examples of usage

  • Her knotty hair was a result of neglecting to brush it for several days.
  • The wind had turned her once smooth hair into a knotty mess.

Translations

Translations of the word "knotty" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น emaranhado

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เค—เคพเค‚เค เคฆเคพเคฐ

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช verknotet

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ kusut

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะฒัƒะทะปัƒะฒะฐั‚ะธะน

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ splฤ…tany

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ็ตใณ็›ฎใฎใ‚ใ‚‹

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท noueux

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ anudado

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท dรผฤŸรผmlรผ

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ๋งค๋“ญ์ด ์žˆ๋Š”

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ู…ุนู‚ูˆุฏ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ zamotanรฝ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ uzlovitรฝ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ๆ‰“็ป“็š„

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ vozlast

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ hnรบรฐรณtt

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ั‚าฏะนั–ะฝะดะตะปะณะตะฝ

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒ™แƒ•แƒแƒœแƒซแƒ˜แƒแƒœแƒ˜

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ dรผyรผnlรผ

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ anudado

Word origin

The word 'knotty' originated from Middle English 'knottye', which comes from the Old English 'cnotta' meaning 'knot'. Its earliest uses were in reference to physical knots or gnarls, particularly in wood. Over time, the term evolved to also describe complex or difficult problems. The figurative use of 'knotty' to describe tangled or matted hair emerged later, likely drawing on the imagery of twisted knots. Today, 'knotty' is commonly used in various contexts to convey the idea of intricacy, complexity, or entanglement.

See also: knot, knotted, knotting.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #23,460, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.