Consider

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /kənˈsɪdə/

Definitions

1. to think carefully about something before making a decision or forming an opinion
2. To reflect on or deliberate something thoughtfully before reaching a conclusion
3. To regard or treat someone or something in a specified way based on judgment or evaluation

Etymology: The Latin verb "considerare" is traditionally linked to "sidus," meaning "star," and the image behind it is a striking one: to consider was to study the stars, or perhaps to look at the heavens for omens before acting. Some ancient writers explained the prefix "con-" as meaning "together" and imagined the verb as gathering a group of stars into view. This star-based explanation is widely repeated, but scholars treat it as uncertain, since the connection to "sidus" is debated and the earliest sense of the verb is not clearly astronomical. The word reached English in the Middle Ages, passing through Middle French "considerer" before settling into Middle English "consideren." Its path into English was therefore indirect, arriving via French rather than straight from Latin, which is typical of many formal verbs of that period. Over time its sense shifted from the literal act of looking at something toward the mental activity of weighing and reflecting on it, which is the meaning it carries today.

Synonyms: contemplate, think, ponder, reflect, deliberate

Antonyms: disregard, ignore, neglect, overlook, dismiss