Meaning Is What a Word Does, Not What It Is
Meaning is what something signifies. Dictionaries record how words are used, which is why meanings shift without anyone deciding to change them.
Meaning is what a word, sign or action signifies. A useful thing to know about dictionaries: they describe rather than decree. A meaning enters a dictionary because enough people already use the word that way, which is why *literally*, *awful* and *nice* have all changed sense while their spellings stood still.
- What something signifies. *The meaning of the word.*
- Importance or purpose. *A life with meaning.*
- Intention behind something said. *I see your meaning.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | meaning | The exact meaning. |
| Plural | meanings | Three meanings. |
| Verb | mean | What does it mean? |
| Adjective | meaningful | A meaningful gesture. |
| Adjective | meaningless | A meaningless answer. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The word has three distinct meanings.Countable.
- He looked for meaning in the work.Uncountable: significance.
- You know perfectly well what I mean.The verb.
Words about meaning
- Semantics — the study of meaning in language
- Denotation — the plain literal meaning
- Connotation — the associations a word carries
- Ambiguity — more than one possible reading
- Nuance — a small shade of difference in meaning
From *mean*, Old English *mænan*, to intend or signify. A separate *mean* meaning miserly comes from a different Old English word, and a third, meaning average, comes from Latin through French.
Do dictionaries decide what words mean?
No. They record how words are used by speakers and writers, and they update when usage moves.
Denotation or connotation?
Denotation is what a word points to; connotation is the feeling it carries. Slim and skinny denote the same thing and connote different judgements.