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suggestion

[suh g-jes-chuh n, suh-]
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noun
  1. the act of suggesting.
  2. the state of being suggested.
  3. something suggested, as a piece of advice: We made the suggestion that she resign.
  4. a slight trace: He speaks with a suggestion of a foreign accent.
  5. the calling up in the mind of one idea by another by virtue of some association or of some natural connection between the ideas.
  6. the idea thus called up.
  7. Psychology.
    1. the process of inducing a thought, sensation, or action in a receptive person without using persuasion and without giving rise to reflection in the recipient.
    2. the thought, sensation, or action induced in this way.
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Origin of suggestion

1300–50; Middle English suggestio(u)n incitement to evil < Medieval Latin suggestiōn- (stem of suggestiō), Latin: act of supplying an answer or hint, equivalent to suggest(us) (see suggest) + -iōn- -ion
Related formscoun·ter·sug·ges·tion, nounnon·sug·ges·tion, nounpre·sug·ges·tion, nounself-sug·ges·tion, noun

Synonym study

1, 3. See advice.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for suggestions

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • And not one of their suggestions seems to go to the root of the matter.

    The Non-Christian Cross

    John Denham Parsons

  • Well pleased with these suggestions, the youth hastened to carry them out.

    Rico and Wiseli

    Johanna Spyri

  • There were suggestions of triumph, relief, gratitude in the indefinable tone of these words.

    The Secret Agent

    Joseph Conrad

  • I have acted on all his suggestions, and feel as proud as if I had originated them myself.

    It Happened in Egypt

    C. N. Williamson

  • The committee adopted these suggestions after a short deliberation.

    Freeland

    Theodor Hertzka

British Dictionary definitions for suggestions

suggestion

noun
  1. something that is suggested
  2. a hint or indicationa suggestion of the odour of violets
  3. psychol the process whereby the mere presentation of an idea to a receptive individual leads to the acceptance of that ideaSee also autosuggestion
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for suggestions

suggestion

n.

mid-14c., "a prompting to evil," from Anglo-French and Old French suggestioun, from Latin suggestionem (nominative suggestio) "an addition, intimation, suggestion," from suggestus, past participle of suggerere "suggest, supply, bring up," from sub "up" (see sub-) + gerere "bring, carry" (see gest). Sense evolution in Latin is from "heap up, build" to "bring forward an idea." Meaning "proposal" appeared by late 14c., but original English notion of "evil prompting" is preserved in suggestive (1630s, though the indecent aspect did not emerge until 1888). Hypnotism sense is from 1887.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
suggestions in Medicine

suggestion

(səg-jĕs′chən, sə-jĕs′-)
n.
  1. Implanting of an idea in the mind of another by a word or act so as to influence conduct or physical condition.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.