intimation

[in-tuh-mey-shuhn]

noun

1. the act of intimating, or making known indirectly.

2. a hint; suggestion.

   The death of his father was his first intimation of mortality.

Word History and Origins

Origin of intimation¹

First recorded in 1425–75; from French, from Late Latin intimātiōn-, stem of intimātiō, equivalent to intimāt(us), past participle of intimāre “to announce, make known” + -iō -ion ( def. ); intimate ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

Years of solitude, sharpened by intimations of mortality, have cracked the banker’s sense of certainty.

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"This is a losing proposition all around. The Judiciary will lose much from the constant intimations of its illegitimacy," he wrote.

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I moved five times in my first nine years in L.A., and each move brought intimations of mortality that were more unsettling than the physical work of setting up a new home.

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I doubt Donald Trump would have such a reputation for being a “strong leader” without having egged on his most ardent followers with intimations of violence.

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"There was no intimation from the side of the theatre management or the actor's team that they will be visiting the theatre," Hyderabad police chief CV Anand said.

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