Cogitations

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of thinking deeply or contemplating about something significant or profound; a detailed consideration of ideas or concepts; a mental process involving reflection and pondering on various matters
2. Engaging in thoughtful reflection or serious consideration of a subject; the careful examination of one's thoughts and musings; the intellectual activity that involves deliberation and introspection
3. The process of mentally examining and reflecting on complex ideas or dilemmas; the systematic thought that leads to insights or realizations; a cognitive engagement in profound or critical thinking

Etymology: The Latin verb "cogitare" once meant something more physical than mental. It was built from "con-" ("together") and "agitare" ("to drive, set in motion"), so its roots lie in stirring things up, as in shaking or turning over a load. Roman writers gradually applied that sense of turning something over to the mind, so that to "cogitate" became to turn an idea over and over until it was understood. The noun "cogitation" comes from the past participle of that verb, extended with the suffix "-io" to name the act itself. Medieval Latin scholars used the form "cogitatio", and English took the word through that learned channel. Scholars had also been using an older, more worn-down form, "cogitacion", that arrived through Old French in Middle English, so the word exists in English in two overlapping versions. Your word is simply the plural of "cogitation", referring to several separate acts of deep reflection rather than one.

Synonyms: thoughts, reflections, considerations