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meaning

/ˈmiː.nɪŋ/ (Received-Pronunciation)/ˈmi.nɪŋ/ (Canada, General-American)
  • noun
  • adjective
  • from Middle English

The denotation, referent, or idea connected with a word, expression, or symbol.

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1 All current definitions

Every sense of “meaning” in current use, as recorded by Wiktionary. Older and obsolete senses are kept separately.

noun · etymology 1

  1. countableuncountableThe denotation, referent, or idea connected with a word, expression, or symbol.
  2. countableuncountableThe connotation associated with a word, expression, or symbol.
  3. countableuncountableThe purpose, value, or significance (of something) beyond the fact of that thing's existence.

    the meaning of life

  4. countableuncountableIntention.

    It was their meaning to take what they needed by strong hand.c. 1610?, Walter Raleigh, A Discourse of War:

Wiktionary: “meaning” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

adjective · etymology 2

  1. Having a (specified) intention.

    Well/ill meaning.

  2. Expressing some intention or significance; meaningful.

    I might, to-day, have been a better, and thus a happier man, had I less frequently rejected the counsels embodied in those meaning whispers which I then but too cordially hated and too bitterly despised.1839, Edgar Allan Poe, William Wilson:

Wiktionary: “meaning” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0
Cross-check: WordNet senses (3)
  1. nounthe message that is intended or expressed or signified — also: significance, signification, import
  2. nounthe idea that is intended — also: substance
  3. adjectiverich in significance or implication — also: pregnant, significant
Princeton WordNet 3.0 — WordNet License

2 History of the word

The etymology, the path the word travelled, and the words built from it.

Etymology 1 (noun)

The word’s journey, newest to oldest:

  1. English (today)meaning
  2. Middle Englishmening

From Middle English mening, menyng, equivalent to mean + -ing. Cognate with Scots mening (“intent, purpose, sense, meaning”), West Frisian miening (“opinion, mind”), Dutch mening (“view, opinion, judgement”), German Meinung (“opinion, view, mind, idea”), Danish and Swedish mening (“meaning, sense, sentence, opinion”), Icelandic meining (“meaning”).

Wiktionary: “meaning” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Etymology 2 (adjective)

The word’s journey, newest to oldest:

  1. English (today)meaning
  2. Englishmean + -ing

From mean + -ing.

Wiktionary: “meaning” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Derivatives — words built from “meaning”

antimeaningforemeaningmeaningedmeaningfulmeaninglessmeaninglesslymeaninglessnessnonmeaningsubmeaningundermeaningmeaninglymeaningnessunmeaning

Phrases & compounds

double meaningget the meaningloan meaningmeaning of lifemeaning-text modelmeaning-text theoryplain meaning ruleself-referential meaningtake the meaning
Wiktionary: “meaning” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Want to go deeper? See also “meaning” on Etymonline ↗

3 Original language

Where “meaning” came from before it was English.

Etymology 1 (noun)

Native English word, from
Middle English
Middle English mening

Etymology 2 (adjective)

Origin
Formed in English
from mean + -ing
Wiktionary: “meaning” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

4 Original meaning

What the word meant at the oldest point the record reaches.

Wiktionary’s etymology does not give a separate meaning for the earliest form of “meaning”, so we don’t state one. The historical dictionary entry below shows how the word was understood in 1913.

Historical meaning — Webster’s 1913

A historical record, labelled as such: some of these senses are dated or have since shifted.

meaning n.

  1. That which is meant or intended; intent; purpose; aim; object; as, a mischievous meaning was apparent.
  2. That which is signified, whether by act lanquage; signification; sense; import; as, the meaning of a hint.
  3. Sense; power of thinking.
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), public domain, via GCIDE

5 Use it with confidence

Model sentences from the sources, matched to the meaning they show. Read each one aloud, then make your own in the game.

nounMeaning: The purpose, value, or significance (of something) beyond the fact of that thing's existence.

the meaning of life

The number of persons attending the vigil had a lot of meaning to the families.

nounMeaning: Intention.

It was their meaning to take what they needed by strong hand.c. 1610?, Walter Raleigh, A Discourse of War:

[…] there was nothing in the house, what there was, was broken, the last people must have lived like pigs, what could the meaning of the landlord be?1859, Charles Dickens, The Haunted House:

adjectiveMeaning: Having a (specified) intention.

Well/ill meaning.

adjectiveMeaning: Expressing some intention or significance; meaningful.

I might, to-day, have been a better, and thus a happier man, had I less frequently rejected the counsels embodied in those meaning whispers which I then but too cordially hated and too bitterly despised.1839, Edgar Allan Poe, William Wilson:

There was a meaning pause, broken by old Stein again clapping his hands.1907, Barbara Baynton, edited by Sally Krimmer and Alan Lawson, Human Toll (Portable Australian Authors: Barbara Baynton), St Lucia: University of Queensland Press, published 1980, page 243:

nounMeaning: the message that is intended or expressed or signified

what is the meaning of this sentence

nounMeaning: the idea that is intended

What is the meaning of this proverb?

adjectiveMeaning: rich in significance or implication

a meaning look

Princeton WordNet 3.0 — WordNet License
Wiktionary: “meaning” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Three steps to owning it

  1. Pick one meaning above and read its model sentence out loud.
  2. Say who or what the word is about in your own life, then build a sentence around that.
  3. Check it against the definition: would a careful reader understand exactly that meaning?

6 The mastery game

Play it here, or print it and do it with pen and paper. At the end you will know the meanings, history, origin and original meaning — and you will have used the word yourself.

Step 1 of 8

Say it, then spell it

meaning

/ˈmiː.nɪŋ/

Say the word out loud three times, slowly. Notice the stressed syllable. When you are ready, hide it and spell it from memory.

Activate Words · Word-mastery worksheet · Name: ______________________ Date: __________

meaning

/ˈmiː.nɪŋ/ · noun, adjective

Step 1 — Say it and write it

Say “meaning” out loud three times. Then cover the word and write it three times from memory.

Step 2 — Know every meaning

Read each definition. Then write it again in your own words.

1. (noun) The denotation, referent, or idea connected with a word, expression, or symbol.
2. (noun) The connotation associated with a word, expression, or symbol.
3. (noun) The purpose, value, or significance (of something) beyond the fact of that thing's existence.
4. (noun) Intention.
5. (adjective) Having a (specified) intention.

Step 3 — Which meaning is it?

“the meaning of life”

A. The connotation associated with a word, expression, or symbol.
B. The purpose, value, or significance (of something) beyond the fact of that thing's existence.
C. Expressing some intention or significance; meaningful.

Circle the meaning used.

“Well/ill meaning.”

A. The connotation associated with a word, expression, or symbol.
B. Having a (specified) intention.
C. Intention.

Circle the meaning used.

Step 4 — History and origin

Which language did “meaning” come into English from?   A. Medieval Latin  B. Old French  C. Middle English  D. Old Norse

Write the word’s journey back in time (each language and form):

Write three words built from “meaning” and what each means:

Step 5 — Original meaning

Read the etymology on the page. What does it tell you about the word’s earlier meaning?

How does that original meaning connect to the meanings today?

Step 6 — Use it yourself

Write a sentence using “meaning” to mean: The denotation, referent, or idea connected with a word, expression, or symbol.
Write a sentence using “meaning” to mean: The connotation associated with a word, expression, or symbol.
Write a sentence using “meaning” to mean: The purpose, value, or significance (of something) beyond the fact of that thing's existence.

☐ I can explain its meanings   ☐ I know its history   ☐ I know its original language   ☐ I know its original meaning   ☐ I can use it confidently

Answer key — meaning

Which meaning, sentence 1: B. The purpose, value, or significance (of something) beyond the fact of that thing's existence.

Which meaning, sentence 2: B. Having a (specified) intention.

Origin: C. Middle English (Middle English mening)

Journey: English meaning ← Middle English mening

Some derivatives: antimeaning, foremeaning, meaninged, meaningful, meaningless, meaninglessly, meaninglessness, nonmeaning

Etymology: From Middle English mening, menyng, equivalent to mean + -ing. Cognate with Scots mening (“intent, purpose, sense, meaning”), West Frisian miening (“opinion, mind”), Dutch mening (“view, opinion, judgement”), German Meinung (“opinion, view, mind, idea”), Danish and Swedish mening (“meaning, sense, sentence, opinion”), Icelandic meining (“meaning”).

Sources: Wiktionary “meaning” (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/meaning#English), CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org; Princeton WordNet 3.0; Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913, public domain) via GCIDE. Worksheet from https://activatewords.com/w/meaning