Notion

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈnəʊʃən/

Definitions

1. A general idea, belief, or understanding about something that may not be fully formed or proven
2. A general concept or belief regarding a subject that may not be entirely established or proven yet
3. An abstract idea or mental image about a concept that lacks complete evidence or definition

Etymology: The word "notion" carries a surprisingly intellectual history: in Latin, "notio" meant an investigation or a getting-to-know, not a vague belief. It was built from "nosco", "to know", the same root behind words like "cognition" and "recognize," and it originally described the act of becoming acquainted with something. Its sense of a concept or idea grew out of that act of forming a mental picture of a thing. Over time the word drifted from the careful, deliberate business of knowing toward something looser. In English, "notion" came to mean a mental conception and then, more loosely still, a half-formed belief or fancy, which is the sense of "general idea or belief" that dictionaries record today. French "notion" followed a similar path, and English borrowed the word from Latin through that channel.

Synonyms: concept, idea, belief, thought, perception

Antonyms: fact, reality, certainty, truth, disbelief