ideation

[ ahy-dee-ey-shuhn ]

noun

1. the process of forming ideas or images.

Word History and Origins

Origin of ideation¹

First recorded in 1820–30; ideate + -ion

Example Sentences

While these elements are undoubtedly important, writing blog posts that attract the right kind of reader requires careful ideation, optimization, and outreach.

From Search Engine Watch

Political ideation of the residents also seemed to play a role.

From Popular-Science

We use the same platform to orchestrate this ideation process.

From MIT Technology Review

This is the story of a failing marriage, yes, but also the account of a cracking consciousness, both in the sense of its literary liveliness and the sense of a mind becoming unmoored and increasingly consumed by suicidal ideation.

From Washington Post

This is a process we use in ideation meetings to provide evidence for the strength of a certain content idea.

From Search Engine Watch

Wilcox also said he went through periods of what he calls “suicide ideation.”

From The Daily Beast

There are two parts to implementing new ideas: coming up with the idea or the ideation phase, and then the execution.

From The Daily Beast

Twenty-five percent of high schoolers experience suicidal ideation, the Center for Disease Control reports.

From The Daily Beast

It is the limited, inhibited conception of sex that vitiates so much of the thought and ideation of the Eugenists.

From Project Gutenberg

Monotonously feeble, scanty ideation passes readily into seeming brilliance, even to the extent of hallucinations.

From Project Gutenberg

Consciousness then ceases to be passive sense or idle ideation and becomes belief and intelligence.

From Project Gutenberg

The quality of abstraction in such ideation is not very high, it is true, yet it is abstraction, nevertheless.

From Project Gutenberg

Alcohol, the juggler with men's thoughts, abruptly pressed upon a new center of ideation in Certina Charley's brain.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• attention
• hope
• logic
• reflection
• speculation
• thinking
• understanding

About This Word

What does ideation mean?

Ideation is the act or process of forming ideas or images in one’s mind.

Warning: This article involves discussion of the sensitive topic of suicide. If you or someone you know needs support, call the toll-free, 24/7 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. You can also text HOME to 741741 for free to get 24/7 support from the Crisis Text Line.

The term ideation is especially used in the context of psychology to refer to thought processes focusing on a particular action, as in phrases like suicidal ideation (suicidal thoughts) and violent ideation (thoughts about committing violence).

Sometimes, ideation is used to refer to the kind of brainstorming done in a business setting to generate new ideas.

Ideation is the noun form of the verb ideate, meaning to form ideas or to think.

Example: During meditation, you are encouraged to refrain from ideation of any kind—clear your mind of all thoughts.

Where does ideation come from?

The first records of ideation come from the 1800s. The verb ideate is recorded earlier, in the 1600s, and derives from the Latin verb ideare, from the Greek idea, meaning “model,” “pattern,” or “notion.” This is also where the word idea comes from.

Ideation can be another way to say thinking, but it’s usually used in a slightly more specific way. Ideation is idea creation—the formation of thoughts and mental images. It’s often used in the context of business development to refer to brainstorming for new products or business opportunities.

Ideation is also used in a more specific way in psychology. It’s especially used in the phrase suicidal ideation, which is a more technical way of saying suicidal thoughts—or, more precisely, the process of having suicidal thoughts.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to ideation?

• ideate (verb)
• ideational (adjective)

What are some words that share a root or word element with ideation? 

 

• idea

 

What are some words that often get used in discussing ideation?

• idea
• brainstorming
• mental
• image
• mind
• suicidal
• violent

What are some words ideation may be commonly confused with?

• ideology

How is ideation used in real life?

Ideation is most often used in the context of business and psychology. It’s a more technical way to refer to thinking or the thought process.

10 ideas or questions a day. Written. Created. Not to execute. But to move the thinking and ideation process along. Keep the brain busy. Keep the mind creative.

— Sherrell Dorsey (@Sherrell_Dorsey) May 3, 2020

If you could’ve been in the ideation room for ANY product, brand, or campaign, what would you choose and why?

— Shahbaz Khan (@ShahbazMKhan) May 3, 2020

when a big part of your story is about a character surviving, especially if it’s someone who’s been fighting depression and suicidal ideation, you just can’t have that character’s story end in death (through suicide, no less) unless the ENTIRE story is MEANT to be a tragedy

— detective donut is a supervillain 🍩 (@DI_Doughnut) April 20, 2020

 

 

Try using ideation!

Is ideation used correctly in the following sentence? 

The goal of today’s session is just to focus on ideation—just come up with ideas and don’t worry about how to execute them.