meaning
The point conveyed
Meaning is what something signifies or intends to convey.
Words have meanings; so do gestures, symbols, and actions.
What's the meaning of this? demands explanation for something puzzling or offensive.
A meaningful glance communicates something unspoken.
Meaning also refers to purpose or significance: She found meaning in her work.
Something meaningless lacks importance or sense.
Central essential portion
- gistCentral meaning distilled
- cruxMost important point
- heartCirculatory system's pump
- substancePhysical material with mass
kernel · nub · pith · quintessence · soul · root · thrust · upshot
Word's explicit dictionary meaning
- dictionaryAlphabetical word reference
- lexiconVocabulary of a language
- etymologyWord origin study
- glossaryAlphabetical list with definitions
lexicography · polysemy · nomenclature · term · word · expression · usage · sense
Philosophy stressing self-created meaning
- nihilismRejection of objective meaning
- absurdismPhilosophy embracing existence's irrationality
- phenomenologyStudy of subjective experience
- ontologyStudy of existence's nature
metaphysics · teleology · logos · hermeneutics · semiotics · existential · Camus · logotherapy
Mental comprehension of something
- readingInterpreting written text
- construalAct of interpreting meaning
- exegesisCritical textual interpretation
- hermeneuticsStudy of interpretation methods
analysis · explication · decoding · elucidation · gloss · commentary · translation · paraphrase
State of mattering
- relevanceState of mattering here
- valueImportance or price
- weightMeasure of heaviness
- consequenceResult of an action
impact · gravity · moment · seriousness · prominence · salience · magnitude · substance
Planned purpose for acting
motivation · point · function · end · design · rationale · why · motive
Slight shade of difference
- undertoneSubdued background quality
- overtoneSubsidiary meaning or harmonic
- subtextImplicit meaning beneath words
- implicationIndirect suggestion or consequence
suggestion · allusion · insinuation · hint · coloring · flavor · association · resonance
core
Central essential portion
substance · kernel · nub · pith · quintessence · soul · root · thrust · upshot · point
denotation
Word's explicit dictionary meaning
- dictionaryAlphabetical word reference
- lexiconVocabulary of a language
- etymologyWord origin study
glossary · lexicography · polysemy · nomenclature · term · word · expression · usage · sense · acceptation
existentialism
Philosophy stressing self-created meaning
- nihilismRejection of objective meaning
- absurdismPhilosophy embracing existence's irrationality
- phenomenologyStudy of subjective experience
ontology · metaphysics · teleology · logos · hermeneutics · semiotics · existential · Camus · logotherapy · human condition
understanding
Mental comprehension of something
- readingInterpreting written text
- construalAct of interpreting meaning
- exegesisCritical textual interpretation
hermeneutics · analysis · explication · decoding · elucidation · gloss · commentary · translation · paraphrase · unpacking
importance
State of mattering
consequence · impact · gravity · moment · seriousness · prominence · salience · magnitude · substance · materiality
intention
Planned purpose for acting
reason · motivation · point · function · end · design · rationale · why · motive · driving force
nuance
Slight shade of difference
- undertoneSubdued background quality
- overtoneSubsidiary meaning or harmonic
- subtextImplicit meaning beneath words
implication · suggestion · allusion · insinuation · hint · coloring · flavor · association · resonance · shade
- gerundswalking, running, talking, eating, sleeping
- languagelanguage, word, words, grammar, spelling
- vocabularyword, words, new words, term, terms
- abstractionsidea, concept, abstraction, thought, principle
- biographybirth, death date, autobiography, life story, biography
- humanitiesphilosophy, history, literature, philosophy class, novels
meaningmeaninglessness
Lack of significance
insignificance · pointlessness · purposelessness · triviality · unimportance
meaningnonsense
Meaningless words or actions
meaninglessness · gibberish · babble · gobbledygook · unintelligibility
meaningmeaninglessness
Lack of significance
purposelessness · aimlessness · pointlessness · directionlessness · randomness
- meaning of lifeUltimate existential purpose
- hidden meaningUnspoken message beneath surface
- double meaningOne phrase, two senses
- meaning toHaving intent toward
- meaning businessGenuinely intent on action
- deeper meaningSignificance beyond the surface
meaningful, meaningless, meanings, meaningfully, meaningfulness, meaninglessness, meaninglessly, unmeaningful