simplistic
/sɪmˈplɪstɪk/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.32 in modern English
16
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
In a manner that simplifies a concept or issue so that its nuances and complexities are lost or important details are overlooked.
Example Sentences
- "At one time, I was extremely skeptical of such simplistic medicine until observing a reflexologist at work and finding that many of the patients showed steady improvement in cases where official medical practitioners had recommended surgery or prescribed the usual quantum of pills. Along with the foot massage, the reflexologist recommended herbal teas to her clients."
- "This simplistic method of using herbs isolates the disease from the person and the chemical aspects of an herb from its overall individual therapeutic effects."
- "It might also be worth taking the simplistic claims of some of the herbal health books with just a bit more than a pinch of salt: if you do decide to try feverfew tea, or a liver flush mixture, do it for yourself, not for someone trying to sell a magazine or book."
- "(Mao's) reliance on simplistic Soviet interpretations was reflected in his dismissal of Hitler as "a mere will-less puppet of the reactionary capitalists.""
- "The cliché is not untrue, but, like all generalisations, it distorts reality so that overly simplistic judgments have to be tempered by a few qualifications."
- ""There are some things that RFK Jr. gets right," says former CDC director Dr. Tom Frieden. "We do have a chronic disease crisis in this country, but we need to avoid simplistic solutions and stick with the science.""
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 *-íd͏̌d͏̌ō 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.
Inflected Forms
more simplistic (comparative)
most simplistic (superlative)