Challenges

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /ˈt͡ʃæl.ɪn.d͡ʒɪz/

Definitions

1. Difficult situations or tasks that require effort ; to express doubt or dispute something ; to ask someone to take part in a contest or fight
2. Problems or obstacles that test abilities or skills ; to question the truth or validity of a statement or action ; to provoke someone to compete in a challenge or battle
3. Tasks or issues that pose difficulty or require solving ; to formally disagree with or contest a decision or idea ; to formally call for a competition or confrontation with another person

Etymology: "Challenges" is simply the plural of "challenge," so the history belongs to the singular. Its deepest roots lie in Latin "calumnia," meaning a false accusation or trickery, the same source that gave English "calumny." The two words are doublets, siblings that split apart as they passed through different routes into English. The Latin sense of deceit survived in Old French, where "calenge" meant an accusation or claim. Middle English borrowed the idea as "kalange," an accusation or a claim one party made against another. Over time the sound softened into "chalenge," and the meaning drifted from a legal accusation toward a summons to combat, a formal dare to prove one's case. From that legal and martial core, the modern sense of a difficult task that tests ability grew out. A challenge once meant an accusation that demanded an answer; today it is more often a problem that demands effort.

Synonyms: difficulties, obstacles, tests, trials, provocations

Antonyms: ease, simplicity, comfort, solution, assistance