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

Anti-Jewish attitudes have morphed over the centuries but have never disappeared.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

He went on to criticise the defendant for failing to assist the police investigation, adding that Forde's "unforthcoming attitude" had meant further forensic work had to be undertaken.

Read more on BBC

She said the treatment and attitude of the officers she met that night meant she would never turn to the police in future.

Read more on BBC

"But all we can do is return to the Premier League and return with the same attitude. If the attitude is there, the quality will show."

Read more on BBC

My irritation is with the whole system’s attitude, not any one person’s.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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