notion
Americannoun
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a general understanding; vague or imperfect conception or idea of something.
a notion of how something should be done.
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an opinion, view, or belief.
That's his notion, not mine.
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conception or idea.
his notion of democracy.
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a fanciful or foolish idea; whim.
She had a notion to swim in the winter.
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an ingenious article, device, or contrivance; knickknack.
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notions, small articles, as buttons, thread, ribbon, and other personal items, especially such items displayed together for sale, as in a department store.
noun
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a vague idea; impression
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an idea, concept, or opinion
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an inclination or whim
Usage
What are other ways to say notion? A notion is a vague or imperfect idea or a general understanding of something. How is it different from thought, conception, and idea? Learn more on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
- notionless adjective
Etymology
Origin of notion
First recorded in 1560–70; from Latin nōtiōn- (stem of nōtiō ) “examination, idea,” equivalent to (g)nōt(us), past participle of (g)nōscere “to come to know” + -iōn- suffix forming nouns; notify, -ion
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.
“The notion of stand-alone development—stand-alone retail, stand-alone grocery, stand-alone apartment building—that’s not the wave of the future,” Ziegler said.
“It’s good to have this discussion and reshape our notions because the game is evolving,” said Jay Jaffe, the author of “The Cooperstown Casebook.”
Bank executives, as expected, have pushed back against the notion, arguing that price caps would restrict credit for consumers with less-than-perfect credit scores.
From Barron's
“We are pleased a Delaware Court agreed with our belief and rejected the notion that this lawsuit needed special treatment and may have other serious flaws,” Warner Bros.
From Los Angeles Times
“The mere notion that America would use our vast resources against our allies is deeply troubling and must be wholly rejected by Congress in statute,” Murkowski said.
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.
