attitude

American  

[at-i-tood, -tyood] / ˈæt ɪˌtud, -ˌtyud /

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.

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attitude British  

/ 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

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Related Words

See position.

Other Word Forms

• attitudinal
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of attitude

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

Explanation

An attitude is somewhere between a belief, a stance, a mood, and a pose. If you've got an attitude about something, it can be hard to change it because you think you're right. You'll often hear Happy Hour referred to as "Attitude Adjustment Hour," because cheap drinks are one of the best ways to change your attitude. If you're in a bad mood, cocktails can make it better (or worse). An attitude is a way of thinking that you can express just by standing a certain way. For example, putting your hands on your hips and rolling your eyes expresses one kind of attitude, while kneeling with your palms together expresses a very different one.

Example Sentences

The WWE often faced criticism in the past for its portrayal of women, especially during its so-called Attitude Era between 1997 and 2002.

From BBC • Sep. 26, 2024

In an interview with the Attitude Era podcast last month, Sid said a WWE Hall of Fame induction was more likely for him now that Vince McMahon is gone from the company.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 26, 2024

In picking apart what has helped the Sounders turn around their season, one piece gets overlooked: Attitude.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 3, 2023

Changing customer tastes were also a factor in the plummeting demand for stretch limos, according to Jeff Rose, president of Attitude, a chauffeured transportation service in Queens.

From New York Times • Apr. 28, 2023

Grades, blah, blah, blah, Attitude, blah, blah, blah, Help around the house, blah, blah, blah, Not a kid anymore, blah, blah, blah.

From "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson

Related Words

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