meaning

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

• Received-Pronunciation: /ˈmiː.nɪŋ/
  Play
• Canada, General-American: /ˈmi.nɪŋ/
  Play
• US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  Play
• Australian: /ˈmiː.nɪŋ/
  Play
• Australian: [ˈmɪi.nɪŋ]
  Play
• New-Zealand: /ˈmiː.nəŋ/
  Play
• rhymes with -iːnɪŋ
  Play
• CMU ARPABET: M IY1 N IH0 NG Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  Play

From mean + -ing.

From Middle English mening, menyng, equivalent to mean + -ing. Cognate with Scots mening (“intent, purpose, sense, meaning”), West Frisian miening (“opinion, mind”), Dutch mening (“view, opinion, judgement”), German Meinung (“opinion, view, mind, idea”), Danish and Swedish mening (“meaning, sense, sentence, opinion”), Icelandic meining (“meaning”).

294 source translations are retained for this English entry.

• Albanian: kuptim — symbolic value of something
• Albanian: domethënie — symbolic value of something
• Arabic: مَعْنًى (maʕnan) — symbolic value of something
• Arabic: الْمَعْنَى (al-maʕnā) — symbolic value of something
• Arabic: معنى (maʕna) — symbolic value of something
• Arabic: معنى (maʕna) — symbolic value of something
• Arabic: معنى (maʕna) — symbolic value of something
• Arabic: معنى (maʕna) — symbolic value of something
• Armenian: իմաստ (imast) — symbolic value of something
• Azerbaijani: məna — symbolic value of something
• Bashkir: мәғәнә (məğənə) — symbolic value of something
• Belarusian: значэ́нне (značénnje) — symbolic value of something
• Belarusian: значэ́ньне (značénʹnje) — symbolic value of something
• Bengali: অর্থ (ortho) — symbolic value of something
• Bengali: মানে (mane) — symbolic value of something
• Bulgarian: значе́ние (značénie) — symbolic value of something
• Burmese: အဓိပ္ပါယ် (a.dhippay) — symbolic value of something
• Catalan: significat — symbolic value of something
• Catalan: significació — symbolic value of something
• Chinese Cantonese: 意義 /意义 (ji3 ji6) — symbolic value of something
• Chinese Mandarin: 意義 /意义 (yìyì) — symbolic value of something
• Chinese Mandarin: 含義 /含义 (hányì) — symbolic value of something
• Chinese Mandarin: 意思 (yìsi) — symbolic value of something
• Chinese Mandarin: 意味 (yìwèi) — symbolic value of something
• Crimean Tatar: mana — symbolic value of something
• Czech: význam — symbolic value of something
• Danish: betydning — symbolic value of something
• Danish: mening — symbolic value of something
• Dutch: waarde — symbolic value of something
• Dutch: betekenis — symbolic value of something
• Esperanto: signifo — symbolic value of something
• Estonian: tähendus — symbolic value of something
• Finnish: merkitys — symbolic value of something
• French: signification — symbolic value of something
• French: sens — symbolic value of something
• West-Frisian: betsjutting — symbolic value of something
• Galician: significado — symbolic value of something
• Georgian: მნიშვნელობა (mnišvneloba) — symbolic value of something
• German: Bedeutung — symbolic value of something
• German: Bedütig — symbolic value of something
• Greek: σημασία (simasía) — symbolic value of something
• Greenlandic: isuma — symbolic value of something
• Gujarati: અર્થ (arth) — symbolic value of something
• Hausa: ma'ana — symbolic value of something
• Hawaiian: manaʻo — symbolic value of something
• Hebrew: מַשְׁמָעוּת (mashma'út) — symbolic value of something
• Hindi: मतलब (matlab) — symbolic value of something
• Hindi: अर्थ (arth) — symbolic value of something
• Hindi: मअनी (maanī) — symbolic value of something
• Hungarian: jelentés — symbolic value of something
• Icelandic: merking — symbolic value of something
• Indonesian: arti — symbolic value of something
• Indonesian: makna — symbolic value of something
• Indonesian: maksud — symbolic value of something
• Italian: significato — symbolic value of something
• Japanese: 意義 (igi) — symbolic value of something
• Japanese: 意味 (imi) — symbolic value of something
• Kazakh: мағына (mağyna) — symbolic value of something
• Khmer: សំនួន (sɑmnuən) — symbolic value of something
• Korean: 뜻 (tteut) — symbolic value of something
• Korean: 의미 (uimi) — symbolic value of something
• Korean: 의의 (uiui) — symbolic value of something
• Northern Kurdish: wate — symbolic value of something
• Northern Kurdish: mane — symbolic value of something
• Kyrgyz: маани (maani) — symbolic value of something
• Lao: ຄວາມຫມາຽ (khuām māi) — symbolic value of something
• Latin: significātiō — symbolic value of something
• Latvian: jēga — symbolic value of something
• Latvian: nozīme — symbolic value of something
• Limburgish: beteikenis — symbolic value of something
• Lithuanian: prasmė — symbolic value of something
• Macedonian: значење (značenje) — symbolic value of something
• Malay: makna — symbolic value of something
• Malay: erti — symbolic value of something
• Malay: maksud — symbolic value of something
• Malayalam: അർത്ഥം (aṟtthaṁ) — symbolic value of something
• Malayalam: സാരം (sāraṁ) — symbolic value of something
• Mongolian: утга (utga) — symbolic value of something
• Mongolian: ᠤᠳᠬ ᠠ (udq a) — symbolic value of something
• Muna: maana — symbolic value of something
• Norwegian Bokmål: mening — symbolic value of something
• Norwegian Bokmål: betydning — symbolic value of something
• Old English: andgiet — symbolic value of something
• Pashto: معنى (ma'nã) — symbolic value of something
• Pashto: معنا (ma'nã) — symbolic value of something
• Dari: مَطْلَب (matlab) — symbolic value of something
• Iranian Persian: مَعْنی (ma'ni) — symbolic value of something
• Iranian Persian: مَعْنَیٰ (ma'nâ) — symbolic value of something
• Iranian Persian: مَعْنا (ma'nâ) — symbolic value of something
• Pohnpeian: wehwe — symbolic value of something
• Polish: znaczenie — symbolic value of something
• Portuguese: significado — symbolic value of something
• Romanian: semnificație — symbolic value of something
• Romanian: sens — symbolic value of something
• Russian: значе́ние (značénije) — symbolic value of something
• Sanskrit: अर्थ (artha) — symbolic value of something
• Scots: meanin — symbolic value of something
• Serbo-Croatian: зна́че̄ње — symbolic value of something
• Serbo-Croatian: znáčēnje — symbolic value of something
• Slovak: význam — symbolic value of something
• Slovene: pomen — symbolic value of something
• Spanish: sentido — symbolic value of something
• Spanish: significado — symbolic value of something
• Spanish: significación — symbolic value of something
• Swahili: maana — symbolic value of something
• Swedish: mening — symbolic value of something
• Swedish: betydelse — symbolic value of something
• Tagalog: kahulugan — symbolic value of something
• Tajik: маънӣ (ma'ni) — symbolic value of something
• Tajik: маъно (ma'no) — symbolic value of something
• Tamil: அர்த்தம் (arttam) — symbolic value of something
• Tamil: பொருள் (poruḷ) — symbolic value of something
• Tatar: мәгънә (mäğnä) — symbolic value of something
• Thai: ความหมาย (kwaam-mǎai) — symbolic value of something
• Tocharian B: ārth — symbolic value of something
• Turkish: anlam — symbolic value of something
• Turkish: mana — symbolic value of something
• Turkish: kasıt — symbolic value of something
• Ottoman Turkish: معنا (mana) — symbolic value of something
• Turkmen: many — symbolic value of something
• Ukrainian: зна́чення (znáčennja) — symbolic value of something
• Urdu: مَعْنی (ma'nī) — symbolic value of something
• Urdu: مَعْنَیٰ (ma'nā) — symbolic value of something
• Urdu: مَطْلَب (matlab) — symbolic value of something
• Urdu: اَرْتھ (arth) — symbolic value of something
• Uyghur: مەنە (mene) — symbolic value of something
• Uzbek: maʼno — symbolic value of something
• Uzbek: maʼni — symbolic value of something
• Vietnamese: nghĩa — symbolic value of something
• Vietnamese: ý nghĩa — symbolic value of something
• Vietnamese: ý vị — symbolic value of something
• Welsh: ystyr — symbolic value of something
• Yiddish: טײַטש (taytsh) — symbolic value of something
• Arabic: مَعْنًى (maʕnan) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Arabic: معنى (maʕna) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Armenian: իմաստ (imast) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Bashkir: мәғәнә (məğənə) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Belarusian: змысл (zmysl) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Belarusian: сэнс (sens) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Belarusian: толк (tolk) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Bulgarian: сми́съл (smísǎl) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Catalan: sentit — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Catalan: significat — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Chinese: чин-ю (qin-iu) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Chinese Mandarin: 意義 /意义 (yìyì) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Chinese Mandarin: 含義 /含义 (hányì) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Chinese Mandarin: 意思 (yìsi) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Chinese Mandarin: 意味 (yìwèi) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Chinese Mandarin: 目的 (mùdì) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Czech: smysl — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Danish: mening — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Dutch: zin — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Esperanto: signifo — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Finnish: tarkoitus — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• French: signification — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• German: Sinn — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• German: Sinn — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Greek: νόημα (nóima) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Hebrew: מַשְׁמָעוּת (mashma'ut) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Hindi: अर्थ (arth) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Hindi: मूल्य (mūlya) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Hungarian: értelem — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Italian: significato — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Japanese: 意義 (igi) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Japanese: 意味 (imi) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Japanese: 目的 (mokuteki) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Korean: 의미 (uimi) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Korean: 의의 (uiui) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Korean: 목적 (mokjeok) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Latvian: jēga — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Macedonian: смисла (smisla) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Macedonian: смисол (smisol) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Malayalam: അർത്ഥം (aṟtthaṁ) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Malayalam: സാരം (sāraṁ) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Mongolian: утга (utga) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Mongolian: ᠤᠳᠬ ᠠ (udq a) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Norwegian Bokmål: mening — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Dari: مَطْلَب (matlab) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Iranian Persian: مَعْنی (ma'ni) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Pohnpeian: wehwe — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Polish: sens — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Portuguese: significado — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Portuguese: sentido — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Russian: смысл (smysl) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Russian: значе́ние (značénije) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Russian: толк (tolk) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Scots: meanin — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Scottish Gaelic: seagh — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Scottish Gaelic: brìgh — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Serbo-Croatian: сми̑сао — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Serbo-Croatian: smȋsao — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Slovak: zmysel — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Slovene: smisel — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Spanish: sentido — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Swahili: maana — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Swedish: mening — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Thai: ความหมาย (kwaam-mǎai) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Turkish: anlam — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Ukrainian: сенс (sens) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Ukrainian: зна́чення (znáčennja) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Ukrainian: смисл (smysl) — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Vietnamese: nghĩa — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Vietnamese: ý nghĩa — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Vietnamese: ý vị — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Welsh: ystyr — significance of a thing, as "the meaning of life"
• Arabic: مَعْنًى (maʕnan) — definition or connotation of a word
• Arabic: معنى (maʕna) — definition or connotation of a word
• Armenian: իմաստ (imast) — definition or connotation of a word
• Bashkir: мәғәнә (məğənə) — definition or connotation of a word
• Belarusian: значэ́нне (značénnje) — definition or connotation of a word
• Belarusian: значэ́ньне (značénʹnje) — definition or connotation of a word
• Belarusian: сэнс (sens) — definition or connotation of a word
• Belarusian: змысл (zmysl) — definition or connotation of a word
• Bole: mana — definition or connotation of a word
• Breton: ster — definition or connotation of a word
• Bulgarian: значе́ние (značénie) — definition or connotation of a word
• Catalan: significat — definition or connotation of a word
• Chinese Cantonese: 意思 (ji3 si1) — definition or connotation of a word
• Chinese: йисы (yisɨ) — definition or connotation of a word
• Chinese Mandarin: 意思 (yìsi) — definition or connotation of a word
• Chinese Mandarin: 意味 (yìwèi) — definition or connotation of a word
• Czech: význam — definition or connotation of a word
• Czech: smysl — definition or connotation of a word
• Danish: betydning — definition or connotation of a word
• Dutch: betekenis — definition or connotation of a word
• Esperanto: senco — definition or connotation of a word
• Finnish: merkitys — definition or connotation of a word
• French: sens — definition or connotation of a word
• German: Bedeutung — definition or connotation of a word
• Greek: σημασία (simasía) — definition or connotation of a word
• Greek: έννοια (énnoia) — definition or connotation of a word
• Gujarati: અર્થ (arth) — definition or connotation of a word
• Hausa: ma'ana — definition or connotation of a word
• Hindi: मतलब (matlab) — definition or connotation of a word
• Hindi: अर्थ (arth) — definition or connotation of a word
• Hungarian: jelentés — definition or connotation of a word
• Icelandic: meining — definition or connotation of a word
• Icelandic: merking — definition or connotation of a word
• Italian: significato — definition or connotation of a word
• Japanese: 意味 (imi) — definition or connotation of a word
• Kapampangan: kabaldugan — definition or connotation of a word
• Korean: 뜻 (tteut) — definition or connotation of a word
• Korean: 의미 (uimi) — definition or connotation of a word
• Latvian: nozīme — definition or connotation of a word
• Lithuanian: reikšmė — definition or connotation of a word
• Macedonian: значење (značenje) — definition or connotation of a word
• Macedonian: смисла (smisla) — definition or connotation of a word
• Macedonian: смисол (smisol) — definition or connotation of a word
• Malay: maksud — definition or connotation of a word
• Malayalam: അർത്ഥം (aṟtthaṁ) — definition or connotation of a word
• Mongolian: утга (utga) — definition or connotation of a word
• Mongolian: ᠤᠳᠬ ᠠ (udq a) — definition or connotation of a word
• Norwegian Bokmål: betydning — definition or connotation of a word
• Norwegian Bokmål: tyding — definition or connotation of a word
• Old English: ġetācnung — definition or connotation of a word
• Old English: andġiet — definition or connotation of a word
• Dari: مَطْلَب (matlab) — definition or connotation of a word
• Iranian Persian: مَعْنی (ma'ni) — definition or connotation of a word
• Polish: znaczenie — definition or connotation of a word
• Polish: sens — definition or connotation of a word
• Portuguese: significado — definition or connotation of a word
• Russian: значе́ние (značénije) — definition or connotation of a word
• Russian: толкова́ние (tolkovánije) — definition or connotation of a word
• Russian: смысл (smysl) — definition or connotation of a word
• Scots: meanin — definition or connotation of a word
• Scottish Gaelic: ciallachadh — definition or connotation of a word
• Scottish Gaelic: seagh — definition or connotation of a word
• Scottish Gaelic: brìgh — definition or connotation of a word
• Serbo-Croatian: зна́че̄ње — definition or connotation of a word
• Serbo-Croatian: znáčēnje — definition or connotation of a word
• Slovak: význam — definition or connotation of a word
• Slovak: zmysel — definition or connotation of a word
• Slovene: pomen — definition or connotation of a word
• Slovene: smisel — definition or connotation of a word
• Spanish: significado — definition or connotation of a word
• Spanish: acepción — definition or connotation of a word
• Spanish: sentido — definition or connotation of a word
• Spanish: significación — definition or connotation of a word
• Swahili: maana — definition or connotation of a word
• Swedish: betydelse — definition or connotation of a word
• Tagalog: kahulugan — definition or connotation of a word
• Tagalog: ibig sabihin — definition or connotation of a word
• Tamil: பொருள் (poruḷ) — definition or connotation of a word
• Tamil: அர்த்தம் (arttam) — definition or connotation of a word
• Thai: ความหมาย (kwaam-mǎai) — definition or connotation of a word
• Thai: คําแปล (kam-bplɛɛ) — definition or connotation of a word
• Ukrainian: зна́чення (znáčennja) — definition or connotation of a word
• Ukrainian: сенс (sens) — definition or connotation of a word
• Ukrainian: смисл (smysl) — definition or connotation of a word
• Urdu: مَطْلَب (matlab) — definition or connotation of a word
• Vietnamese: nghĩa — definition or connotation of a word
• Vietnamese: ý nghĩa — definition or connotation of a word
• Welsh: ystyr — definition or connotation of a word
• Yiddish: טײַטש (taytsh) — definition or connotation of a word