attitude

[at-i-tood, -tyood]

noun

1. manner, disposition, feeling, position, etc., with regard to a person or thing; tendency or orientation, especially of the mind.

   a negative attitude; group attitudes.

2. position or posture of the body appropriate to or expressive of an action, emotion, etc..

   a threatening attitude; a relaxed attitude.

3. Aeronautics.,  the inclination of the three principal axes of an aircraft relative to the wind, to the ground, etc.

4. Ballet.,  a pose in which the dancer stands on one leg, the other bent behind.

attitude

/ ˈætɪˌtjuːd /

noun

1. the way a person views something or tends to behave towards it, often in an evaluative way

2. a theatrical pose created for effect (esp in the phrase strike an attitude )

3. a position of the body indicating mood or emotion

4. informal,  a hostile manner

   don't give me attitude, my girl

5. the orientation of an aircraft's axes in relation to some plane, esp the horizontal See also axis 1

6. the orientation of a spacecraft in relation to its direction of motion

7. ballet a classical position in which the body is upright and one leg raised and bent behind

Other Word Forms

• attitudinal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of attitude¹

First recorded in 1660–70; from French, from Italian attitudine, from Late Latin aptitūdini- (stem of aptitūdō ); aptitude

Word History and Origins

Origin of attitude¹

C17: from French, from Italian attitudine disposition, from Late Latin aptitūdō fitness, from Latin aptus _apt

Synonym Study

See position.

Example Sentences

He made the claims in BBC Radio 4 documentary Scotland Wants You, which examines whether Scotland's attitude to migrants is different to elsewhere in the UK.

From BBC

You, Los Angeles, with your California dreams and anything-goes attitude, are the living embodiment of everything that needs to be crushed.

From Los Angeles Times

Bayern sources have also indicated that, if Jackson performs well and displays a positive attitude over the year-long loan, he will find a permanent home in Bavaria.

From BBC

Evincing a rugged, hands-on attitude marked by curiosity and enthusiasm about the work, Redford embodied a philosophy for Sundance that was clear from its earliest days.

From Los Angeles Times

Drivers attitudes to EVs have rapidly changed in just over a decade.

From BBC

Related Words

• angle 
• approach 
• belief 
• demeanor 
• mindset 
• mood 
• notion 
• outlook 
• perspective 
• philosophy 
• point of view 
• position 
• posture 
• reaction 
• sentiment 
• slant 
• stance 
• stand 
• standpoint 
• temperament