conundrum

Meaning

1. A difficult question or riddle, especially one using a play on words in the answer.
2. A difficult choice or decision that must be made.

Synonyms

riddle

puzzle

enigma

mystery

problem

brain-teaser

matter

hitch

preventative

quandary

quiz

snag

tickler

trouble

brain teaser

profound secret

lose-lose situation

mind-breaker

dilemma

disorder

friction

issue

kink

mystification

poser

Translations

enigma

Scherzfrage

énigme

rompecabezas

🧩

charada

rompicapo

indovinello

casse-tête

adivinanza

enigma

αίνιγμα

adivinha

devinette

Rätsel

Zwickmühle

Pronounced as (IPA)

/kəˈnʌn.dɹəm/

Etymology

A word of unknown origin with several variants, gaining popularity for its burlesque imitation of scholastic Latin, as hocus-pocus or panjandrum. If there is more to its origin than a nonce coinage, Anatoly Liberman suggests the best theory is that connecting it with the Conimbricenses, 16th c. scholastic commentaries on Aristotle by the Jesuits of Coimbra which indulge heavily in arguments relying on multiple significations of words.