Standard Lemma guide

simplistic

adj · 3 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.

  • /sɪmˈplɪstɪk/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: S IH0 M P L IH1 S T IH0 K Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Overly simple.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

In a manner that simplifies a concept or issue so that its nuances and complexities are lost or important details are overlooked.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective satellite

Meaning 3

characterized by extreme and often misleading simplicity

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a simplistic theory of the universe
  • simplistic arguments of the ruling party

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *sem- Proto-Indo-European *sm̥-der. Latin sem- Proto-Italic *-plosder. Latin -plus Latin simplusbor. Old French simplebor. Middle English symple English simple Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō) Proto-Hellenic *-tās Ancient Greek -τής (-tḗs) Ancient Greek -ῐστής (-ĭstḗs)bor. Latin -istader. Old French -istebor. Middle English -ist English -ist Proto-Indo-European *-ikos Proto-Italic *-ikos Latin -icuslbor. Old French -iquebor. Middle English -ik English -ic English -istic English simplistic From simple + -istic.

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: опростенчески (oprostenčeski) — overly simple
  • Catalan: simplista — overly simple
  • Dutch: simplistisch — overly simple
  • Finnish: simplistinen — overly simple
  • Finnish: yliyksinkertaistettu — overly simple
  • French: simpliste — overly simple
  • Galician: simplista — overly simple
  • German: stark vereinfacht — overly simple
  • German: simplistisch — overly simple
  • Hebrew: פשטני — overly simple
  • Italian: semplicista — overly simple
  • Italian: semplicistico — overly simple
  • Italian: semplicistica — overly simple
  • Portuguese: simplista — overly simple
  • Portuguese: simplicista — overly simple
  • Spanish: simplista — overly simple