problematic

See also: problemàtic

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French problématique, from Late Latin problematicus, from Ancient Greek προβληματικός (problēmatikós), from πρόβλημα (próblēma, “outjutting, barrier, problem”), from προβάλλω (probállō, “I throw, place before”), from πρό (pró, “before”) + βάλλω (bállō, “I throw, place”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌpɹɒblɛˈmætɪk/
• IPA^(key): /ˌpɹɑblɛˈmætɪk/

Adjective

problematic

1. Posing a problem; having or suffering from problem(s):
   1. Difficult to overcome, solve, or decide.
      • 2010, The Future of Energy Use:

        However, estimating what consumers will pay in the future is problematic.

   2. Not settled, uncertain, of uncertain outcome; debatable, questionable, open to doubt.

      a problematic analysis

      it portends a problematic future for the movement

   3. Contributing (usually implicitly or subtly) to systemic discrimination (such as racism, sexism, homophobia, or transphobia).
      • 2015 April 10, Paige Tutt, Apple’s new diverse emoji are even more problematic than before: Racialized emoji insert race into texts and tweets where it never would have arisen before

Related terms

• problem

Translations

posing a problem

• Catalan: problemàtic
• Czech: problematický (cs)
• Danish: problematisk
• Dutch: problematisch (nl)
• Finnish: ongelmallinen (fi), problemaattinen (fi)
• French: problématique (fr)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• German: problematisch (de)
• Greek: προβληματικός (el) (provlimatikós)
• Maori: whakararu
• Norman: problièmatique
• Polish: problematyczny (pl)
• Russian: проблемати́чный (ru) (problematíčnyj)

uncertain, debatable, questionable

• Catalan: problemàtic, dubtós (ca), incert (ca)
• Finnish: ongelmallinen (fi), problemaattinen (fi), epävarma (fi)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• French: problématique (fr)
• Russian: проблемати́чный (ru) (problematíčnyj)

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

Translations to be checked

• Dutch: ^{(please verify)} problematisch (nl)
• German: ^{(please verify)} problematisch (de)
• Romanian: ^{(please verify)} problematic (ro)
• Serbo-Croatian: ^{(please verify)} problemàtičan (sh)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Slovene: ^{(please verify)} problematika
• Spanish: ^{(please verify)} problemático (es)
• Turkish: ^{(please verify)} sorunsal (tr), ^{(please verify)} problematik (tr)

Noun

problematic (plural problematics)

1. (chiefly in the plural) A problem or difficulty in a particular field of study.

Translations

problem in a particular field of study

• Danish: problematik c
• Finnish: problematiikka (fi), ongelmakenttä
• French: problématique (fr) f
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• German: Problematik (de) f
• Russian: проблематика (ru) f (problematika)
• Spanish: problemática (es) f

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Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French problématique, Late Latin problematicus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pro.bleˈma.tik/

Adjective

problematic m or n (feminine singular problematică, masculine plural problematici, feminine and neuter plural problematice)

1. problematic

Related terms

• problemă