intimation

American  

[in-tuh-mey-shuhn] / ˌɪn təˈmeɪ ʃən /

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.

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intimation British  

/ ˌɪntɪˈmeɪʃən /

noun

1. a hint or suggestion

2. rare an announcement or notice

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Etymology

Origin of intimation

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. ); see intimate ² ( def. )

Explanation

The noun intimation means a hint or an indirect suggestion. Your teacher's intimation that there could be a quiz the next day might send you into a panic, while your friend sitting beside you might not even notice. Intimation comes from the Latin word intimationem, which means an announcement. In English, intimation refers to a less direct form of communication. It's a suggestion or hint, rather than a blatant statement of fact. Your first intimation that your brother had a girlfriend was the amount of time he spent whispering into the phone. The second intimation was when he asked your parents for money for two movie tickets.

Example Sentences

Intimation maid of collect the nixt Lord’s day for ane pure honest woman, spous to umquhile James Freeman.

From Bygone Church Life in Scotland by Various

An Intimation of a Way found in Europe, to make good China-Dishes.

From Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society - Vol 1 - 1666 Giving some Accompt of the present Undertakings, Studies, and Labours of the Ingenious in many considerable parts of the World by Oldenburg, Henry

The Greeting between Hamlet, Horatio, and Marcellus, is very easy, and expresses the benign Disposition of the Prince, and first gives us an Intimation of his Friendship for Horatio.

From Some Remarks on the Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, Written by Mr. William Shakespeare (1736) by Anonymous

Intimation if any doubt upon the Declaration, to come to the committee, Ib.

From The Acts Of The General Assemblies of the Church of Scotland by Church of Scotland. General Assembly

Intimation of new possibilities of experimental research guided by the new conception of the spectrum.

From Man or Matter by Lehrs, Ernst