notion

noun

no·​tion ˈnō-shən How to pronounce notion (audio)
1
a(1)
: an individual's conception or impression of something known, experienced, or imagined
They had different notions of right and wrong.
(2)
: an inclusive general concept
arriving at the notion of lawIrving Babbitt
(3)
: a theory or belief held by a person or group
the notion of original sin
b
: a personal inclination : whim
He had a notion to try skydiving.
2
obsolete : mind, intellect
3
notions plural : small useful items : sundries
found the thread she wanted among the shop's notions
Choose the Right Synonym for notion

idea, concept, conception, thought, notion, impression mean what exists in the mind as a representation (as of something comprehended) or as a formulation (as of a plan).

idea may apply to a mental image or formulation of something seen or known or imagined, to a pure abstraction, or to something assumed or vaguely sensed.

innovative ideas
my idea of paradise

concept may apply to the idea formed by consideration of instances of a species or genus or, more broadly, to any idea of what a thing ought to be.

a society with no concept of private property

conception is often interchangeable with concept; it may stress the process of imagining or formulating rather than the result.

our changing conception of what constitutes art

thought is likely to suggest the result of reflecting, reasoning, or meditating rather than of imagining.

commit your thoughts to paper

notion suggests an idea not much resolved by analysis or reflection and may suggest the capricious or accidental.

you have the oddest notions

impression applies to an idea or notion resulting immediately from some stimulation of the senses.

the first impression is of soaring height

Examples of notion in a Sentence

He has some pretty strange notions. She had a vague notion about what happened. The study disproves any notion that dolphins are not intelligent. She had a notion to try skydiving. a sewing shop that sells fabrics, books, tools, and notions
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
As Kerekes explained to me, karma isn’t simply the notion of retribution or some one-to-one exchange of good or bad. Alex Abad-Santos, Vox, 17 Feb. 2025 The image of monkey god Hanuman, representing wisdom, strength, courage, devotion and self-discipline, is prominently placed in the series, which pits Western notions of wealth and materialism against Buddhist concepts of selflessness and spirituality. Jordan Riefe, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Feb. 2025 Players from a now bygone era couldn’t comprehend the notion of being nice to an opponent before kick off. Tim Spiers, The Athletic, 17 Feb. 2025 Related Stories The film, however, bears no clear timeline, other than the vague notion of modernity. Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 14 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for notion 

Word History

Etymology

Latin notion-, notio, from noscere

First Known Use

1531, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(2)

Time Traveler
The first known use of notion was in 1531

Dictionary Entries Near notion

Cite this Entry

“Notion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/notion. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

notion

noun
no·​tion ˈnō-shən How to pronounce notion (audio)
1
a
: idea sense 2, conception
have a notion of a poem's meaning
b
: a belief held : opinion
c
: a sudden wish or desire : whim
just had a notion to go home
2
plural : small useful articles (as pins, needles, or thread)

More from Merriam-Webster on notion

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