See also: Murky

English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Middle English mirky. Related to Old Norse myrkr, Russian мрак (mrak), Serbo-Croatian мра̑к. By surface analysis, murk +‎ -y.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈmɜː(ɹ)ki/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)ki

Adjective

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murky (comparative murkier, superlative murkiest)

  1. Hard to see through, as a fog or mist.
  2. Dark, dim, gloomy.
    • 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies [] (First Folio), London: [] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i], page 14:
      Ferdinand: As I hope / For quite dayes, faire Iſſue, and long life, / With ſuch loue, as 'tis now the murkieſt den, / The moſt opportune place, the ſtrongſt ſuggeſtion, / Our worſer Genius can, shall neuer melt / Mine honor into luſt, []
  3. Cloudy, indistinct, obscure.
    murky territory
    • 2021 April 21, Anatoly Liberman, “Going out on a Limb”, in Oxford Etymologist[1]:
      They may face an impenetrable word, approach its murky history from every direction, and fail to find a convincing solution (or even any solution: “origin unknow,” “the rest is unclear,” and the like).
    • 2022 October 28, Maria Cramer, “Beaches? Cruises? ‘Dark’ Tourists Prefer the Gloomy and Macabre”, in The New York Times[2], →ISSN:
      Mr. Farrier, 39, said he often questioned the moral implications of his trips. “It’s very ethically murky territory,” Mr. Farrier said.
    • 2022 December 23, Keith Bradsher, Amy Chang Chien, Joy Dong, “As Cases Explode, China’s Low Covid Death Toll Convinces No One”, in The New York Times[3], →ISSN:
      China’s murky statistics are fueling widespread public distrust. Its narrow definition of Covid deaths “will very much underestimate the true death toll,” the W.H.O. says.
  4. (by extension) Dishonest, shady.

Synonyms

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Derived terms

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Translations

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The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Further reading

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