meaning

American  

[mee-ning] / ˈmi nɪŋ /

noun

1. what is intended to be, or actually is, expressed or indicated; signification; import.

   the three meanings of a word.

   Synonyms:

   trend, drift, gist, tenor

2. the end, purpose, or significance of something.

   What is the meaning of life? What is the meaning of this intrusion?

3. Linguistics.

   1. the nonlinguistic cultural correlate, reference, or denotation of a linguistic form; expression.

   2. linguistic content (expression ).

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adjective

1. intentioned (usually used in combination).

   She's a well-meaning person.

2. full of significance; expressive.

   a meaning look.

meaning British  

/ ˈmiːnɪŋ /

noun

1. the sense or significance of a word, sentence, symbol, etc; import; semantic or lexical content

2. the purpose underlying or intended by speech, action, etc

3. the inner, symbolic, or true interpretation, value, or message

   the meaning of a dream

4. valid content; efficacy

   a law with little or no meaning

5. philosophy

   1. the sense of an expression; its connotation

   2. the reference of an expression; its denotation. In recent philosophical writings meaning can be used in both the above senses See also sense

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adjective

1. expressive of some sense, intention, criticism, etc

   a meaning look

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

Explanation

Meaning is what a word, action, or concept is all about — its purpose, significance, or definition. If you want to learn the meaning of the word meaning, you just need to look it up in the dictionary. Meaning represents something's intent or purpose. That something can be a book, a conversation, a television show, or life itself (as in, "the meaning of life"). When you read a poem, you try to figure out the author's intended meaning by interpreting the words he has chosen. For example, if a poet describes love as "a prison," you might interpret the meaning as his feeling confined by his love.

Example Sentences

The verdict’s exact meaning for Live Nation isn’t yet clear.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026

Last year it was revealed LIV's net losses in its international markets outside the US had spiralled to $461.8m in 2024, meaning it had lost more than $1.1bn since it was established in 2021.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

In the next few months, the Supreme Court will issue a spate of potentially landmark rulings on the meaning of the Reconstruction Amendments.

From Slate • Apr. 15, 2026

“Most widely cited housing metrics lag reality by 30 to 60 days, meaning the narrative many are reacting to today is already outdated.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026

“I took several art appreciation classes at Swanburne and did rather well, I am proud to say. If there is some hidden meaning to be found, I will find it.”

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

• connotation
• content
• context
• definition
• effect
• essence
• explanation
• hint
• implication
• interpretation
• nuance
• sense
• significance
• spirit
• subject
• substance
• understanding
• value