intention
/ˌɪnˈtentʃən/in-TEN-chuhn
/ˌɪnˈtɛntʃən/in-TEN-chuhn
Meaningthe act of stretching toward
Common meaning: a plan or aim
- inin, into; (before adjectives) not
- tentto stretch out; to aim atLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 1852 · scan
- ionnoun ending: act or result
‘in, into’ + ‘to stretch out’ → intention
Journey through time
- Latintendō, tetendī, tentum/tēnsum‘to stretch out’
- Middle Englishententesource
- Englishintent‘a purpose or aim’
- Englishformed in English from intentintention‘a plan or aim’ · today
Sources & notes
Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
- No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
- US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
- No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.
Origin: Formed in English from intent + -ion.
Dictionary: Skeat (1898), INTENT, p.297 · scan
Roots
- tendō, tetendī, tentum/tēnsum Latin “to stretch out; to aim at”
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