notion

From Latin nōtiō (“a becoming acquainted, a taking cognizance, an examination, an investigation, a conception, idea, notion”), from nōscō (“to know”). Compare French notion. See know.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈnəʊʃən/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈnoʊʃən/

• Audio (US)

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• Rhymes: -əʊʃən

notion (plural notions)

1. Mental apprehension of whatever may be known, thought, or imagined; idea, concept.
   • 1704, I[saac] N[ewton], “(please specify |book=1 to 3)”, in Opticks: Or, A Treatise of the Reflexions, Refractions, Inflexions and Colours of Light. […], London: […] Sam[uel] Smith, and Benj[amin] Walford, printers to the Royal Society, […], OCLC 1118497469:

     What hath been generally agreed on, I content myself to assume under the notion of principles.

   • 1705-1715', George Cheyne, The Philosophical Principles of Religion Natural and Revealed

     there are few that agree in their Notions about them:.

   • 1725, Isaac Watts, Logick: Or, The Right Use of Reason in the Enquiry after Truth, […], 2nd edition, London: […] John Clark and Richard Hett, […], Emanuel Matthews, […], and Richard Ford, […], published 1726, OCLC 1325830848:

     That notion of hunger, cold, sound, color, thought, wish, or fear which is in the mind, is called the "idea" of hunger, cold, etc.

   • 1859–1860, William Hamilton, H[enry] L[ongueville] Mansel and John Veitch, editors, Lectures on Metaphysics and Logic […], volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), Edinburgh; London: William Blackwood and Sons, OCLC 648725:

     Notion, again, signifies either the act of apprehending, signalizing, that is, the remarking or taking note of, the various notes, marks, or characters of an object which its qualities afford, or the result of that act.

2. A sentiment; an opinion.
   • 1715 April 13 (Gregorian calendar)​, Joseph Addison, “The Free-holder: No. 30. Saturday, April 2. [1715.]”, in The Works of the Right Honourable Joseph Addison, Esq; […], volume IV, London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], published 1721, OCLC 1056445272:

     The extravagant notion they entertain of themselves.

   • December 2, 1832, John Henry Newman, Wilfulness, the Sin of Saul

     A perverse will easily collects together a system of notions to justify itself in its obliquity.

   • 1935, George Goodchild, chapter 1, in Death on the Centre Court:

     “Anthea hasn't a notion in her head but to vamp a lot of silly mugwumps. She's set her heart on that tennis bloke […] whom the papers are making such a fuss about.”

3. (obsolete) Sense; mind.
   • c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act III, scene i], page 140:

     Who wrought with them, and all things else that might / To half a soul and to a notion crazed / Say, 'Thus did Banquo.'

4. (colloquial) An invention; an ingenious device; a knickknack.

   Yankee notions

5. Any small article used in sewing and haberdashery, either for attachment to garments or as a tool, such as a button, zipper, or thimble.
6. (colloquial) Inclination; intention; disposition.

   I have a notion to do it.

• concept
• conception
• meaning

• notion in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• notion in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911
• notion on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Borrowed from Latin nōtiō (accusative singular nōtiōnem).

• IPA^(key): /nɔ.sjɔ̃/

• Audio

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notion f (plural notions)

1. notion

• “notion”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.