Positions

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /pəˈzɪʃənz/

Definitions

1. Places where someone or something is situated or set ; specific jobs or roles held by individuals or groups ; particular stances or viewpoints held on issues or topics
2. The physical sites or points occupied by objects or persons ; the duties or posts assigned within an organization or context ; the opinions or perspectives taken in discussions or debates
3. Locations or spots where items or people are placed or found ; employment roles or functions that people perform ; an individual's or group's attitude or standpoint on a matter

Etymology: "Positions" is simply the plural of "position," so its story is the story of the base word. That base word traces back to Latin "positio," meaning "a putting" or "a placing," formed from "positus," the past participle of "pōnere," "to place." The same Latin verb lies behind a family of English words that share its sense of setting something down, including "deposition," "composition," and "apposition." The word reached English through Middle English "posicioun," which came from Old French "posicion." Its earliest and most literal sense was physical: the way something was placed or arranged in space. The meaning then widened to a person's place or standing, and eventually to a formal post or office. That final step explains why "positions" now refers to jobs, the spots a person holds within an organisation.

Synonyms: locations, places, situations

Antonyms: displacements, removals