dif·fi·cult / ˈdifikəlt/ • adj. needing much effort or skill to accomplish, deal with, or understand: she had a difficult decision to make the questions are too difficult for the children. ∎  characterized by or causing hardships or problems: a difficult economic climate. ∎  (of a person) not easy to please or satisfy: Lily could be difficult.DERIVATIVES: dif·fi·cult·ly adv. ( rare )dif·fi·cult·ness n.

difficult XIV. Back-formation from difficulty (XIV) — L. difficultās, f. DIF- + facultās FACULTY.