meaning
Americannoun
-
what is intended to be, or actually is, expressed or indicated; signification; import.
the three meanings of a word.
-
the end, purpose, or significance of something.
What is the meaning of life? What is the meaning of this intrusion?
-
Linguistics.
-
the nonlinguistic cultural correlate, reference, or denotation of a linguistic form; expression.
-
linguistic content (expression ).
-
adjective
-
intentioned (usually used in combination).
She's a well-meaning person.
-
full of significance; expressive.
a meaning look.
noun
-
the sense or significance of a word, sentence, symbol, etc; import; semantic or lexical content
-
the purpose underlying or intended by speech, action, etc
-
the inner, symbolic, or true interpretation, value, or message
the meaning of a dream
-
valid content; efficacy
a law with little or no meaning
-
philosophy
-
the sense of an expression; its connotation
-
the reference of an expression; its denotation. In recent philosophical writings meaning can be used in both the above senses See also sense
-
adjective
Related Words
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.
Other Word Forms
- meaningly adverb
- meaningness noun
- submeaning noun
- undermeaning noun
Etymology
Origin of meaning
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English (noun); mean 1, -ing 1, -ing 2
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It is not known who last borrowed them, but Leeds City Council scrapped fines for late returns in 2019, meaning they would have avoided a potentially hefty penalty.
From BBC
The scammer asked for a direct bank transfer of £2,502, meaning the protections that come from using a credit card do not apply.
From BBC
The UAE had already closed its airspace, meaning most passengers had left the airport.
From Barron's
Thomas Kerr, an accountant in Cleveland, said he has told friends and professional acquaintances that they should prepare for white-collar jobs to go away, and to find a sense of meaning in potentially new occupations.
The breakfast table, once a neutral space, now feels charged with meaning — who arrived first, who looks relaxed, who’s chewing contentedly while others watch.
From Salon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
