a general understanding; vague or imperfect conception or idea of something: a notion of how something should be done.
an opinion, view, or belief: That's his notion, not mine.
conception or idea: his notion of democracy.
a fanciful or foolish idea; whim: She had a notion to swim in the winter.
an ingenious article, device, or contrivance; knickknack.
notions,small articles, as buttons, thread, ribbon, and other personal items, especially such items displayed together for sale, as in a department store.
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; see notify, -ion
synonym study for notion
1, 3. See idea.
historical usage of notion
The English noun notion “general understanding, opinion” comes from Latin nōtiō (stem nōtiōn- ), a derivative of the verb nōscere “to know” and -tiō, an abstract noun suffix here denoting a state (rather than an action). In the comedies of Plautus, nōtiō meant “acquaintance (with a person).” In legal and juridical language, nōtiō meant “examination, inquiry (by a magistrate).” The usual meaning of notion we owe to Cicero, the Roman orator, statesman, and man of letters, who created a technical philosophical vocabulary for Latin almost single-handedly in order to translate concepts in Greek philosophy. In his Topica (31), Cicero explains his usage of nōtiō : “I mean by notion what the Greeks call énnoia [‘thinking, reflection, notion, concept’] or prólēpsis [‘preconception, mental picture’].” The plural notions “small articles, such as buttons, thread, ribbon, etc., displayed together for sale” was an Americanism that first appeared in a Philadelphia newspaper in 1796.
OTHER WORDS FROM notion
no·tion·less,adjective
Words nearby notion
no-tillage, no time at all, no time for, have, no time like the present, there's, not in the least, notion, notional, notionate, notions, notitia, not know beans
The burrowing freeloaders “challenge our notion of what plants even do,” he says.
‘Vampire’ parasite challenges the definition of a plant|Susan Milius|September 16, 2020|Science News For Students
The answer largely depends on how much we build into the notion of understanding.
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There’s another notion of recursion, which is you can reuse stuff.
Talking Is Throwing Fictional Worlds at One Another - Issue 89: The Dark Side|Kevin Berger|September 9, 2020|Nautilus
The competitive advantage they once had when raising — the notion that they’re focused on an area no one else is — is potentially threatened.
3 views on the future of geographic-focused funds|Natasha Mascarenhas|September 4, 2020|TechCrunch
The notion that the state’s attorney’s office can’t simultaneously pursue public safety and a broader sense of justice is false, she said, and it would be a mistake to stop the reform efforts now.
As Trump Calls for Law and Order, Can Chicago’s Top Prosecutor Beat the Charge That She’s Soft on Crime?|by Mick Dumke|September 4, 2020|ProPublica
But Brooke was out of step with the New Left and its notion of radical chic.
Ed Brooke: The Senate's Civil Rights Pioneer and Prophet of a Post-Racial America|John Avlon|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Could you talk a minute about the notion of being an unreliable narrator?
Daphne Merkin on Lena Dunham, Book Criticism, and Self-Examination|Mindy Farabee|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They embraced the notion of a growing America, whose economy could be expanded for the benefit of the majority.
Time to Bring Back the Truman Democrats|Joel Kotkin|December 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The biggest misfire here, though, was the notion that anyone would believe that this dude looked at all like Prince Harry.
The Biggest Bombs of 2014: ‘Sex Tape,’ Mariah Carey’s Vocals, ‘How I Met Your Mother’ and More|Kevin Fallon|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Even Defense Secretary Gates, at least for a time, was open to the notion.
The Detainee Abuse Photos Obama Didn’t Want You To See|Noah Shachtman, Tim Mak|December 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She laughed at the notion of death resulting from any such operation; nor was her laugh very pleasant to hear.
The Virginians|William Makepeace Thackeray
He then acknowledged that the notion of "a methodical regularity" in the Essay on Criticism was a "groundless opinion."
The Works of Alexander Pope, Volume 2 (of 10)|Alexander Pope
I am sure I must have slept, for I had a notion, like one has sometimes in sleep, of extraordinary extension of time.
Round About the Carpathians|Andrew F. Crosse
I was afraid that something was wrong, for I had a notion that he had been drinking this morning.
Within the Capes|Howard Pyle
The whole thing is a flagrant contradiction of every notion of style.
Books and Persons|Arnold Bennett
British Dictionary definitions for notion
notion
/ (ˈnəʊʃən) /
noun
a vague idea; impression
an idea, concept, or opinion
an inclination or whim
See also notions
Word Origin for notion
C16: from Latin nōtiō a becoming acquainted (with), examination (of), from noscere to know