noun · 13 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
/sɪmˈplɪsɪti/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɪsɪti
CMU ARPABET:S IH0 M P L IH1 S AH0 T IY0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
CMU ARPABET 2:S IH0 M P L IH1 S IH0 T IY0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The state or quality of being simple
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
simplicity of dress, of style, or of language
simplicity of diet
simplicity of life
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: chastity
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The state or quality of being simple
The quality or state of being unmixed or uncompounded
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
the simplicity of metals or of earths
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: chastity
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
The state or quality of being simple
The quality or state of being not complex, or of consisting of few parts.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
the simplicity of a machine
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: chastity
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
The state or quality of being simple
Lack of sharpness of mind; lack of ability to think using complex ideas; stupidity
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: chastity
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
The state or quality of being simple
Lack of artificial ornament, pretentious style, or luxury; plainness
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: chastity
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
The state or quality of being simple
Lack of subtlety or abstruseness; clarity
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
the simplicity of a doctrine
the simplicity of an explanation or a demonstration
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: chastity
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
The state or quality of being simple
Lack of complication; efficiency.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: chastity
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
An act or instance of foolishness.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, countable, rare, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
noun
Meaning 9
lack of ornamentation
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the room was simply decorated with great restraint
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: chasteness, restraint, simpleness
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: plainness
10
noun
Meaning 10
freedom from difficulty or hardship or effort
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
he rose through the ranks with apparent ease
they put it into containers for ease of transportation
the very easiness of the deed held her back
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: ease, easiness, simpleness
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: quality
Narrower terms: effortlessness
11
noun
Meaning 11
the quality of being simple or uncompounded
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the simplicity of a crystal
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: simpleness
Antonyms: complexity
Broader terms: quality
12
noun
Meaning 12
absence of affectation or pretense
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: simmpleness
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: naturalness
13
noun
Meaning 13
a lack of penetration or subtlety
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
they took advantage of her simplicity
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: simpleness, simple mindedness
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: naivete, naivety, naiveness
History
Etymology
From Middle English simplicite, from Old French simplicite, from Latin simplicitās, from simplex (“simple”). See simple. Partially displaced native English onefoldness.
Across languages
Translations
91 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
بَسَاطَة
(basāṭa)
— quality or state of being simple, unmixed, or uncompounded; as, the simplicity of metals or of earths
Belarusian:
прастата́
(prastatá)
— quality or state of being simple, unmixed, or uncompounded; as, the simplicity of metals or of earths
Bulgarian:
простота́
(prostotá)
— quality or state of being simple, unmixed, or uncompounded; as, the simplicity of metals or of earths
Catalan:
simplicitat
— quality or state of being simple, unmixed, or uncompounded; as, the simplicity of metals or of earths
Czech:
jednoduchost
— quality or state of being simple, unmixed, or uncompounded; as, the simplicity of metals or of earths
Esperanto:
simpleco
— quality or state of being simple, unmixed, or uncompounded; as, the simplicity of metals or of earths
French:
simplicité
— quality or state of being simple, unmixed, or uncompounded; as, the simplicity of metals or of earths
Galician:
simplicidade
— quality or state of being simple, unmixed, or uncompounded; as, the simplicity of metals or of earths
Georgian:
სიმარტივე
(simarṭive)
— quality or state of being simple, unmixed, or uncompounded; as, the simplicity of metals or of earths
Georgian:
უბრალოება
(ubraloeba)
— quality or state of being simple, unmixed, or uncompounded; as, the simplicity of metals or of earths
German:
Einfachheit
— quality or state of being simple, unmixed, or uncompounded; as, the simplicity of metals or of earths
Greek:
απλότητα
(aplótita)
— quality or state of being simple, unmixed, or uncompounded; as, the simplicity of metals or of earths
Hungarian:
egyszerűség
— quality or state of being simple, unmixed, or uncompounded; as, the simplicity of metals or of earths
Italian:
semplicità
— quality or state of being simple, unmixed, or uncompounded; as, the simplicity of metals or of earths
Central Kurdish:
ساکاری
(sakarî)
— quality or state of being simple, unmixed, or uncompounded; as, the simplicity of metals or of earths
Macedonian:
едноставност
(ednostavnost)
— quality or state of being simple, unmixed, or uncompounded; as, the simplicity of metals or of earths
Old English:
ānfealdnes
— quality or state of being simple, unmixed, or uncompounded; as, the simplicity of metals or of earths
Portuguese:
simplicidade
— quality or state of being simple, unmixed, or uncompounded; as, the simplicity of metals or of earths
Russian:
простота́
(prostotá)
— quality or state of being simple, unmixed, or uncompounded; as, the simplicity of metals or of earths
Spanish:
simplicidad
— quality or state of being simple, unmixed, or uncompounded; as, the simplicity of metals or of earths
Turkish:
basitlik
— quality or state of being simple, unmixed, or uncompounded; as, the simplicity of metals or of earths
Aghwan:
𐕉𐔰𐕀𐔰𐕐
(ćaxaš)
— quality or state of being not complex, or of consisting of few parts
Bulgarian:
простота́
(prostotá)
— quality or state of being not complex, or of consisting of few parts
Catalan:
simplicitat
— quality or state of being not complex, or of consisting of few parts
French:
simplicité
— quality or state of being not complex, or of consisting of few parts
Georgian:
სიმარტივე
(simarṭive)
— quality or state of being not complex, or of consisting of few parts
Gothic:
𐌰𐌹𐌽𐍆𐌰𐌻𐌸𐌴𐌹
(ainfalþei)
— quality or state of being not complex, or of consisting of few parts
Greek:
απλότητα
(aplótita)
— quality or state of being not complex, or of consisting of few parts
Ancient Greek:
ἁπλότης
(haplótēs)
— quality or state of being not complex, or of consisting of few parts
Hebrew:
פשטות
— quality or state of being not complex, or of consisting of few parts
Italian:
semplicità
— quality or state of being not complex, or of consisting of few parts
Latin:
simplicitas
— quality or state of being not complex, or of consisting of few parts
Macedonian:
едноставност
(ednostavnost)
— quality or state of being not complex, or of consisting of few parts
Middle English:
simplicite
— quality or state of being not complex, or of consisting of few parts
Old English:
ānfealdnes
— quality or state of being not complex, or of consisting of few parts
Portuguese:
simplicidade
— quality or state of being not complex, or of consisting of few parts
Spanish:
simplicidad
— quality or state of being not complex, or of consisting of few parts
Swedish:
enkelhet
— quality or state of being not complex, or of consisting of few parts
Tagalog:
kalaharan
— quality or state of being not complex, or of consisting of few parts
Vietnamese:
tính đơn giản
— quality or state of being not complex, or of consisting of few parts
Volapük:
balug
— quality or state of being not complex, or of consisting of few parts
Bulgarian:
наивност
(naivnost)
— artlessness of mind; freedom from cunning or duplicity; lack of acuteness and sagacity
Georgian:
უბრალოება
(ubraloeba)
— artlessness of mind; freedom from cunning or duplicity; lack of acuteness and sagacity
Georgian:
გულუბრყვილობა
(gulubrq̇viloba)
— artlessness of mind; freedom from cunning or duplicity; lack of acuteness and sagacity
Georgian:
მიამიტობა
(miamiṭoba)
— artlessness of mind; freedom from cunning or duplicity; lack of acuteness and sagacity
Greek:
αφέλεια
(aféleia)
— artlessness of mind; freedom from cunning or duplicity; lack of acuteness and sagacity
Greek:
απλοϊκότητα
(aploïkótita)
— artlessness of mind; freedom from cunning or duplicity; lack of acuteness and sagacity
Macedonian:
простодушност
(prostodušnost)
— artlessness of mind; freedom from cunning or duplicity; lack of acuteness and sagacity
Portuguese:
simplicidade
— artlessness of mind; freedom from cunning or duplicity; lack of acuteness and sagacity
Bulgarian:
простота́
(prostotá)
— freedom from artificial ornament, pretentious style, or luxury
French:
simplicité
— freedom from artificial ornament, pretentious style, or luxury
Greek:
λιτότητα
(litótita)
— freedom from artificial ornament, pretentious style, or luxury
Greek:
απλότητα
(aplótita)
— freedom from artificial ornament, pretentious style, or luxury
Italian:
semplicità
— freedom from artificial ornament, pretentious style, or luxury
Macedonian:
едноставност
(ednostavnost)
— freedom from artificial ornament, pretentious style, or luxury
Portuguese:
simplicidade
— freedom from artificial ornament, pretentious style, or luxury
Spanish:
sencillez
— freedom from artificial ornament, pretentious style, or luxury
Spanish:
llano
— freedom from artificial ornament, pretentious style, or luxury
Swedish:
enkelhet
— freedom from artificial ornament, pretentious style, or luxury
Thai:
ความเรียบง่าย
— freedom from artificial ornament, pretentious style, or luxury
Ottoman Turkish:
سادهلك
(sadelik)
— freedom from artificial ornament, pretentious style, or luxury
Ottoman Turkish:
سداجت
(sedacet)
— freedom from artificial ornament, pretentious style, or luxury
Vietnamese:
tính đơn giản
— freedom from artificial ornament, pretentious style, or luxury
Georgian:
უბრალოება
(ubraloeba)
— freedom from subtlety or abstruseness; clearness
Georgian:
სიმარტივე
(simarṭive)
— freedom from subtlety or abstruseness; clearness
Georgian:
სისადავე
(sisadave)
— freedom from subtlety or abstruseness; clearness
Greek:
απλότητα
(aplótita)
— freedom from subtlety or abstruseness; clearness
Portuguese:
simplicidade
— freedom from subtlety or abstruseness; clearness
Thai:
ความเรียบง่าย
— freedom from subtlety or abstruseness; clearness
Esperanto:
malkomplikeco
— freedom from complication; efficiency
French:
simplicité
— freedom from complication; efficiency
Georgian:
სიმარტივე
(simarṭive)
— freedom from complication; efficiency
Georgian:
უბრალოება
(ubraloeba)
— freedom from complication; efficiency
Georgian:
სისადავე
(sisadave)
— freedom from complication; efficiency
Greek:
απλότητα
(aplótita)
— freedom from complication; efficiency
Italian:
semplicità
— freedom from complication; efficiency
Macedonian:
едноставност
(ednostavnost)
— freedom from complication; efficiency
Portuguese:
simplicidade
— freedom from complication; efficiency
Spanish:
sencillez
— freedom from complication; efficiency
Swedish:
enkelhet
— freedom from complication; efficiency
Thai:
ความไม่ยุ่งยาก
— freedom from complication; efficiency
Ottoman Turkish:
قولای
(kolay)
— freedom from complication; efficiency
Vietnamese:
tính đơn giản
— freedom from complication; efficiency
Bulgarian:
простодушие
(prostodušie)
— weakness of intellect; silliness; folly
Georgian:
გონებაჩლუნგობა
(gonebačlungoba)
— weakness of intellect; silliness; folly
Greek:
απλοϊκότητα
(aploïkótita)
— weakness of intellect; silliness; folly
Central Kurdish:
فەقیر عەقڵی
(feqîr 'eqllî)
— weakness of intellect; silliness; folly
Macedonian:
простодушност
(prostodušnost)
— weakness of intellect; silliness; folly
Manx:
meecheeall
— weakness of intellect; silliness; folly
Manx:
meecheeallid
— weakness of intellect; silliness; folly
Portuguese:
simplicidade
— weakness of intellect; silliness; folly
