indirect

[ in-duh-rekt, -dahy- ]

/ ˌɪn dəˈrɛkt, -daɪ- /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR indirect ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

not in a direct course or path; deviating from a straight line; roundabout: an indirect course in sailing.

coming or resulting otherwise than directly or immediately, as effects or consequences: an indirect advantage.

not direct in action or procedure: His methods are indirect but not dishonest.

not straightforward; devious; deceitful: He is known as a shady, indirect fellow.

not direct in bearing, application, force, etc.: indirect evidence.

of, relating to, or characteristic of indirect discourse: an indirect quote.

not descending in a direct line of succession, as a title or inheritance.

Origin of indirect

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Medieval Latin word indīrēctus. See in-³, direct

SYNONYMS FOR indirect

2 incidental, unintentional, secondary.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR indirect ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM indirect

in·di·rect·ly, adverb in·di·rect·ness, noun sem·i-in·di·rect, adjective sem·i-in·di·rect·ly, adverb

sem·i-in·di·rect·ness, noun

Words nearby indirect

indigoid, indigolite, indigotic, indigotin, indio, indirect, indirect address, indirect characterization, indirect cost, indirect costs, indirect discourse

Example sentences from the Web for indirectness

Yet within this general straightforwardness there is a singular eccentricity and indirectness in detail.

Library of the World's Best literature, Ancient and Modern, Vol. 12 |Various
But the question is one of directness or indirectness of aim.

The Teacher |George Herbert Palmer
Wilberforce and Newman never cleared themselves of the suspicion of indirectness.

Edward Caldwell Moore |Edward Moore
Then the woman, with a woman's curious subtlety and indirectness, reached a somewhat singular conclusion.

Famous Affinities of History, Vol 1-4, Complete |Lyndon Orr

But the matter of directness and indirectness concerns the way the stimulus is reached, not the way in which it operates.

Human Nature and Conduct |John Dewey

British Dictionary definitions for indirectness

indirect

/ (ˌɪndɪˈrɛkt) /

adjective

deviating from a direct course or line; roundabout; circuitous

not coming as a direct effect or consequence; secondary indirect benefits

not straightforward, open, or fair; devious or evasive an indirect insult

(of a title or an inheritance) not inherited in an unbroken line of succession from father to son

Derived forms of indirect

indirectly, adverb indirectness, noun

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

indirect

adjective

Origin of indirect

SYNONYMS FOR indirect

OTHER WORDS FROM indirect

Words nearby indirect

Example sentences from the Web for indirectness

British Dictionary definitions for indirectness

adjective

Derived forms of indirect

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

indirect

adjective

Origin of indirect

SYNONYMS FOR indirect

OTHER WORDS FROM indirect

Words nearby indirect

Words related to indirectness

Example sentences from the Web for indirectness

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adjective

Derived forms of indirect

British Dictionary definitions for indirectness