Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1300-1400
Origin: cumber 'to prevent from moving freely, load' (14-20 centuries) (from encumber) + -some

cumbersome

 adjective
     
cum‧ber‧some
1 a process or system that is cumbersome is slow and difficult:
Doctors are complaining that the system is cumbersome and bureaucratic.
cumbersome procedures
2 heavy and difficult to move:
a large cumbersome machine
3 words or phrases that are cumbersome are long or complicated
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.
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