meaning

[mee-ning]

noun

1. what is intended to be, or actually is, expressed or indicated; signification; import.

   the three meanings of a word.

   Synonyms: trend, drift, gist, tenor

2. the end, purpose, or significance of something.

   What is the meaning of life? What is the meaning of this intrusion?

3. Linguistics.

   1. the nonlinguistic cultural correlate, reference, or denotation of a linguistic form; expression.

   2. linguistic content (expression ).

adjective

1. intentioned (usually used in combination).

   She's a well-meaning person.

2. full of significance; expressive.

   a meaning look.

meaning

/ ˈmiːnɪŋ /

noun

1. the sense or significance of a word, sentence, symbol, etc; import; semantic or lexical content

2. the purpose underlying or intended by speech, action, etc

3. the inner, symbolic, or true interpretation, value, or message

   the meaning of a dream

4. valid content; efficacy

   a law with little or no meaning

5. philosophy

   1. the sense of an expression; its connotation

   2. the reference of an expression; its denotation. In recent philosophical writings meaning can be used in both the above senses See also sense

adjective

1. expressive of some sense, intention, criticism, etc

   a meaning look

Other Word Forms

• meaningly adverb
• meaningness noun
• submeaning noun
• undermeaning noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of meaning¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English (noun); mean ¹, -ing ¹, -ing ²

Synonym Study

Meaning, purport, sense, significance denote that which is expressed or indicated by something. Meaning is the general word denoting that which is intended to be or actually is expressed or indicated: the meaning of a word or glance. Sense may be used to denote a particular meaning (among others) of a word or phrase: The word is frequently used in this sense. Sense may also be used loosely to refer to intelligible meaning: There's no sense in what he says. Significance refers particularly to a meaning that is implied rather than expressed: the significance of her glance; or to a meaning the importance of which may not be easy to perceive immediately: The real significance of his words was not grasped at the time. Purport is mainly limited to the meaning of a formal document, speech, important conversation, etc., and refers to the gist of something fairly complicated: the purport of your letter to the editor.

Example Sentences

It’s not work that kills people — it’s the loss of meaning.

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Its actual meaning is unclear, though some say it means "so-so" or "maybe this, maybe that".

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Palantir’s direct public offering — meaning that the company sold its stock straight to the public without a Wall Street middleman underwriter — is a particular source of pride for Karp.

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Retail analyst Catherine Shuttleworth says holding out could be risky if you want a particular item, with higher costs for shops this year meaning they are less likely to have surplus stock.

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Instead, it could consider extending the freeze on the levels at which people start to pay income tax, meaning more people are drawn into paying more tax on their wages and pensions over time.

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Related Words

• connotation 
• content 
• context 
• definition 
• effect 
• essence 
• explanation 
• hint 
• implication 
• interpretation 
• nuance 
• sense 
• significance 
• spirit 
• subject 
• substance 
• understanding 
• value