pre·pos·ter·ous

(prĭ-pŏs′tər-əs)

adj.

Contrary to nature, reason, or common sense; absurd. See Synonyms at foolish.

[From Latin praeposterus, inverted, unseasonable : prae-, pre- + posterus, coming behind (from post, behind; see apo- in Indo-European roots).]

pre·pos′ter·ous·ly adv.

pre·pos′ter·ous·ness n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

preposterous

(prɪˈpɒstərəs)

adj

contrary to nature, reason, or sense; absurd; ridiculous

[C16: from Latin praeposterus reversed, from prae in front, before + posterus following]

preˈposterously adv

preˈposterousness n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

pre•pos•ter•ous

(prɪˈpɒs tər əs, -trəs)

adj.

completely contrary to nature, reason, or common sense; senseless; foolish.

[1535–45; < Latin praeposterus in the wrong order. See pre-, posterior, -ous]

pre•pos′ter•ous•ly, adv.

pre•pos′ter•ous•ness, n.

syn: See absurd.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Adj.

preposterous - incongruous;inviting ridicule; "the absurd excuse that the dog ate his homework"; "that's a cockeyed idea"; "ask a nonsensical question and get a nonsensical answer"; "a contribution so small as to be laughable"; "it is ludicrous to call a cottage a mansion"; "a preposterous attempt to turn back the pages of history"; "her conceited assumption of universal interest in her rather dull children was ridiculous"

derisory, laughable, nonsensical, ridiculous, ludicrous, idiotic, absurd, cockeyed

foolish - devoid of good sense or judgment; "foolish remarks"; "a foolish decision"

preposterous

adjective ridiculous, bizarre, incredible, outrageous, shocking, impossible, extreme, crazy, excessive, absurd, foolish, ludicrous, extravagant, unthinkable, unreasonable, insane, irrational, monstrous, senseless, out of the question, laughable, exorbitant, nonsensical, risible, asinine, cockamamie (slang, chiefly U.S.) The whole idea was preposterous.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

preposterous

adjective

1. So senseless as to be laughable:

absurd, foolish, harebrained, idiotic, imbecilic, insane, lunatic, mad, moronic, nonsensical, silly, softheaded, tomfool, unearthly, zany.

Informal: cockeyed, crazy, loony, loopy.

Slang: balmy, dippy, dopey, jerky, sappy, wacky.

2. Beyond all reason:

obscene, outrageous, ridiculous, shocking, unconscionable, unreasonable.

Idioms: out of bounds, out of sight.

Translations

غَيْر مَعْقول، أحْمَق، سَخيف

nesmyslnýsměšný

latterligtosset

absurd

absurde

fáránlegur

assurdo irrazionale ridicolo

absurdsmuļķīgssmieklīgs

absurd helt urimelig sinnssvak

saçma

十分荒谬的愚蠢的

preposterous

[prɪˈpɒstərəs] ADJ → absurdo, ridículo

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

preposterous

[prɪˈpɒstərəs] adj → ridicule, absurde

preposterous

adj → grotesk, absurd; you’re being preposterous → das ist ja grotesk; it is preposterous to suggest that … → es ist absurd vorzuschlagen, dass …

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

preposterous

[prɪˈpɒst/ərəs] adj → ridicolo/a, assurdo/a

preposterous

(priˈpostərəs) adjective

very foolish; ridiculous.

preˈposterously adverb