meaning: Meaning and Definition of
mean•ing
Pronunciation: (mē'ning), [key]
— n.
- what is intended to be, or actually is, expressed or indicated; signification; import: the three meanings of a word.
- the end, purpose, or significance of something: What is the meaning of life? What is the meaning of this intrusion?
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- the nonlinguistic cultural correlate, reference, or denotation of a linguistic form; expression.
- linguistic content (opposed to expression).
—adj.
- intentioned (usually used in combination): She's a well-meaning person.
- full of significance; expressive: a meaning look.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.