mean

English

/miːn/

verb
Definitions
  • To intend.
  • To convey (a meaning).
  • (transitive) To have conviction in (something said or expressed); to be sincere in (what one says).
  • (transitive) To cause or produce (a given result); to bring about (a given result).
  • (usually with to) To be of some level of importance.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English menen (intend, lament, comfort, remember) inherited from Old English mǣnan (lament, mean, signify, intend, complain over, grieve, mourn) inherited from Proto-Germanic *mainijaną (lament, mean, think) derived from Proto-Indo-European *meyn- (opinion, intention, think).

Origin

Proto-Indo-European

*meyn-

Gloss

opinion, intention, think

Concept
Semantic Field

Cognition

Ontological Category

Person/Thing

Kanji

思, 考

Emoji

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms