simple

UK: /ˈsɪmp^əl/ US: /ˈsɪmpəl/ ,(sim′pəl)

Inflections of 'simple' (adj):

simpler

adj comparative

simplest

adj superlative

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

sim•ple /ˈsɪmpəl/   adj., -pler, -plest, n. 
adj. 

1. easy to understand or deal with;
   not hard to do:
   a simple problem.
   [It + be + ~ + to + verb]
   It was simple to solve her problems.
2. not elaborate or complicated;
   plain:
   a simple design.
3. not ornate or luxurious;
   unadorned:
   a simple dress.
4. unassuming;
   modest;
   sincere:
   He's a simple man.
5. occurring or considered alone;
   mere;
   bare:
   [before a noun] the simple truth.
6. common or ordinary:
   [before a noun] a simple soldier.
7. not grand or sophisticated:
   simple tastes.
8. humble or lowly:
   simple folk.
9. lacking mental sharpness:
   a simple, dull-witted peasant.
10. mentally deficient.
11. Chemistry
    • made of only one substance or element:
      a simple substance.
12. Botany not divided into parts:
    a simple leaf.
13. Grammar (of a sentence) having only one subject and verb (as opposed to compound):
    The sentences John likes Mary and John and Bill like Mary are simple sentences.

sim•ple•ness, n. [uncountable] See -plic-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

sim•ple  (sim′pəl), adj., -pler, -plest, n. 
adj. 

1. easy to understand, deal with, use, etc.:
   a simple matter; simple tools.
2. not elaborate or artificial;
   plain:
   a simple style.
3. not ornate or luxurious;
   unadorned:
   a simple gown.
4. unaffected;
   unassuming;
   modest:
   a simple manner.
5. not complicated:
   a simple design.
6. not complex or compound;
   single.
7. occurring or considered alone;
   mere;
   bare:
   the simple truth; a simple fact.
8. free of deceit or guile;
   sincere;
   unconditional:
   a frank, simple answer.
9. common or ordinary:
   a simple soldier.
10. not grand or sophisticated;
    unpretentious:
    a simple way of life.
11. humble or lowly:
    simple folk.
12. inconsequential or rudimentary.
13. unlearned;
    ignorant.
14. lacking mental acuteness or sense:
    a simple way of thinking.
15. unsophisticated;
    naive;
    credulous.
16. simpleminded.
17. Chemistry
    • composed of only one substance or element:
      a simple substance.
    • not mixed.
18. Botany not divided into parts:
    a simple leaf; a simple stem.
19. Zoology not compound:
    a simple ascidian.
20. Music and Dance uncompounded or without overtones;
    single:
    simple tone.
21. Grammar having only the head without modifying elements included:
    The simple subject of "The dappled pony gazed over the fence'' is "pony.''
    Cf. complete (def. 5).
22. Grammar (of a verb tense) consisting of a main verb with no auxiliaries, as takes (simple present) or stood (simple past) (opposed to compound).
23. Mathematics linear (def. 7).
24. Optics (of a lens) having two optical surfaces only.

n. 

25. an ignorant, foolish, or gullible person.
26. something simple, unmixed, or uncompounded.
27. Textiles simples, cords for controlling the warp threads in forming the shed on draw-looms.
28. a person of humble origins;
    commoner.
29. Drugs an herb or other plant used for medicinal purposes:
    country simples.

• Late Latin simplus simple, Latin (in simpla pecunia simple fee or sum), equivalent. to sim- one (see simplex) + -plus, as in duplus duple, double (see -fold); cognate with Greek háplos (see haplo-); (noun, nominal) Middle English: commoner, derivative of the adjective, adjectival
• Old French
• (adjective, adjectival) Middle English 1175–1225

sim′ple•ness, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. clear, intelligible, understandable, unmistakable, lucid.
• 2. natural, unembellished, neat.
• 8. artless, guileless, ingenuous.
• 10. See homely. 
• 12. trifling, trivial, nonessential, unnecessary.
• 13. untutored, stupid.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

simple / ˈsɪmp^əl/ adjective

1. not involved or complicated; easy to understand or do: a simple problem
2. plain; unadorned: a simple dress
3. consisting of one element or part only; not combined or complex: a simple mechanism
4. unaffected or unpretentious: although he became famous, he remained a simple and well-liked man
5. not guileful; sincere; frank: her simple explanation was readily accepted
6. of humble condition or rank: the peasant was of simple birth
7. lacking in intelligence
8. (prenominal) without additions or modifications; mere: the witness told the simple truth
9. (prenominal) ordinary or straightforward: a simple case of mumps
10. (of a substance or material) consisting of only one chemical compound rather than a mixture of compounds
11. (of a fraction) containing only integers
12. (of an equation) containing variables to the first power only; linear
13. not divided into parts: a simple leaf, a simple eye
14. formed from only one ovary: simple fruit
15. relating to or denoting a time where the number of beats per bar may be two, three, or four

noun

1. a person lacking intelligence
2. a medicine consisting of only one natural substance
3. a plant, esp a herbaceous plant, having medicinal properties

Etymology: 13th Century: via Old French from Latin simplex plain

ˈsimpleness noun