Clouded

/ˈklaʊdɪd/ adjective

Definition

Made unclear, confused, or less transparent; covered with clouds or obscured by cloud.

Etymology

From 'cloud' (from Old English 'clud', originally meaning a clod of earth, later metaphorically applied to clouds) plus '-ed' to form the adjective describing something obscured or made unclear.

Kelly Says

Metaphorically, 'clouded judgment' is one of the most powerful phrases in English because we intuitively understand that clouds obscure vision—our language maps visual and mental clarity together. This is called 'conceptual metaphor', and it reveals how much of human thought depends on mapping abstract concepts onto physical experiences.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.