Nearby Words
Synonyms
nɪŋnoun
1.
what is intended to be, or actually is, expressed or indicated; signification; import: the three meanings of a word.
2.
the end, purpose, or significance of something: What is the meaning of life? What is the meaning of this intrusion?
3.
Linguistics.
a.
the nonlinguistic cultural correlate, reference, or denotation of a linguistic form; expression.
b.
linguistic content (opposed to expression).
adjective
4.
intentioned (usually used in combination): She's a well-meaning person.
5.
full of significance; expressive: a meaning look.
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Meaning
is always a great word to know.
So is lexicon. Does it mean:
| the total inventory of morphemes in a given language plus their combinations with additional and derivative morphemes |
| the spoken form a word has when produced in isolation, such as for illustration, as distinguished from the form it would have when produced in the normal stream of speech |
Related forms
mean·ing·ly, adverb
mean·ing·ness, noun
sub·mean·ing, noun
un·der·mean·ing, noun
Synonyms
1. tenor, gist, drift, trend. Meaning, purport, sense, significance denote that which is expressed or indicated by something. Meaning is the general word denoting that which is intended to be or actually is expressed or indicated: the meaning of a word or glance. Sense may be used to denote a particular meaning (among others) of a word or phrase: The word is frequently used in this sense. Sense may also be used loosely to refer to intelligible meaning: There's no sense in what he says. Significance refers particularly to a meaning that is implied rather than expressed: the significance of her glance; or to a meaning the importance of which may not be easy to perceive immediately: The real significance of his words was not grasped at the time. Purport is mainly limited to the meaning of a formal document, speech, important conversation, etc., and refers to the gist of something fairly complicated: the purport of your letter to the editor.
1. tenor, gist, drift, trend. Meaning, purport, sense, significance denote that which is expressed or indicated by something. Meaning is the general word denoting that which is intended to be or actually is expressed or indicated: the meaning of a word or glance. Sense may be used to denote a particular meaning (among others) of a word or phrase: The word is frequently used in this sense. Sense may also be used loosely to refer to intelligible meaning: There's no sense in what he says. Significance refers particularly to a meaning that is implied rather than expressed: the significance of her glance; or to a meaning the importance of which may not be easy to perceive immediately: The real significance of his words was not grasped at the time. Purport is mainly limited to the meaning of a formal document, speech, important conversation, etc., and refers to the gist of something fairly complicated: the purport of your letter to the editor.
Example Sentences
- These movements take on different meanings in different contexts.
- The meaning has changed dramatically over time.
- Clever gangster drama reaches way too far for meaning.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
verb (used with object)
1.
to have in mind as one's purpose or intention; intend: I meant to compliment you on your work.
2.
to intend for a particular purpose, destination, etc.: They were meant for each other.
3.
to intend to express or indicate: What do you mean by “liberal”?
4.
to have as its sense or signification; signify: The word “freedom” means many things to many people.
5.
EXPANDto bring, cause, or produce as a result: This bonus means that we can take a trip to Florida.
6.
to have (certain intentions) toward a person: He didn't mean you any harm.
7.
COLLAPSEto have the value of; assume the importance of: Money means everything to them. She means the world to him.
verb (used without object)
Idiom8.
to be minded or disposed; have intentions: Beware, she means ill, despite her solicitous manner.
9.
mean well, to have good intentions; try to be kind or helpful: Her constant queries about your health must be tiresome, but I'm sure she means well.
Origin:
before 900; Middle English menen, Old English mǣnan; cognate with German meinen, Dutch meenen
before 900; Middle English menen, Old English mǣnan; cognate with German meinen, Dutch meenen
Synonyms
1. contemplate. See intend. 2. destine, foreordain. 4. denote, indicate; import, imply, connote.
1. contemplate. See intend. 2. destine, foreordain. 4. denote, indicate; import, imply, connote.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To meaning
Collins
World English Dictionary
| meaning (ˈmiːnɪŋ) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | the sense or significance of a word, sentence, symbol, etc; import; semantic or lexical content |
| 2. | the purpose underlying or intended by speech, action, etc |
| 3. | the inner, symbolic, or true interpretation, value, or message: the meaning of a dream |
| 4. | valid content; efficacy: a law with little or no meaning |
| 5. | philosophy |
| a. the sense of an expression; its connotation | |
| b. See also sense the reference of an expression; its denotation. In recent philosophical writings meaning can be used in both the above senses | |
| —adj | |
| 6. | expressive of some sense, intention, criticism, etc: a meaning look |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
mean
"that which is halfway between extremes," early 14c., from O.Fr. meien, from L. medianus "of or that is in the middle" (see median). Oldest sense is musical. Sense of "so-so, mediocre" led to confusion with mean (adj.). This is the mean in meantime, meanwhile, and by no means (late 15c.).
EXPANDCOLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary
mean (mēn)
n.
Something having a position, quality, or condition midway between extremes; a medium.
A number that typifies a set of numbers, such as a geometric mean or an arithmetic mean.
The average value of a set of numbers.
Occupying a middle or intermediate position between two extremes.
Intermediate in size, extent, quality, time, or degree; medium.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
mean  (mēn) Pronunciation Key
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary
mean definition
In statistics, an average of a group of numbers or data points. With a group of numbers, the mean is obtained by adding them and dividing by the number of numbers in the group. Thus the mean of five, seven, and twelve is eight (twenty-four divided by three). (Compare median and mode.)
The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Slang Dictionary
mean definition
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Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Word Dynamo By Dictionary.com
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