Notion — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ˈnō-shən/ no·tion

Meaning & Definition of Notion

Notion (noun)

  1. an individual's conception or impression of something known, experienced, or imagined
  2. an inclusive general concept
  3. a theory or belief held by a person or group

Notion (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. small useful items

    "the fabric store had a wide variety of thread, pins, buttons, and other notions"

    similar: etceteras, novelties, odds and ends, sundries
    related: baubles, bric-a-brac, gewgaws, knickknacks, trinkets, gadgets, gimmicks, jiggers, hodgepodge, miscellany, variety

  2. a sudden impulsive and apparently unmotivated idea or action

    "I have a notion to go in-line skating this afternoon"

    similar: bee, caprice, crank, fancy, freak, humor, kink, maggot, megrim, vagary, vagrancy, whim, whimsy, bee in one's bonnet
    related: capriciousness, fancifulness, fantasy, freakishness, impetuosity, whimsicality, conceit, concept, conception, image, impression, mind's eye, picture, thought, brainstorm, inspiration

  3. an idea that is believed to be true or valid without positive knowledge

    "has this naive notion that most people are basically honest"

    similar: belief, conviction, eye, feeling, judgment, mind, opinion, persuasion, sentiment, verdict, view
    related: say, impression, perception, take, attitude, assumption, presumption, presupposition, conclusion, decision, determination, deliverance, esteem, estimate, estimation, credence, credit, faith, concept, conception, idea, thought, position, stance, stand, comment, obiter dictum, observation, reflection, remark, conjecture, guess, hunch, hypothesis, surmise, theory, advice, input, recommendation, suggestion, angle, outlook, perspective, shoes, slant, standpoint, viewpoint, counterview
    near: fact, truth

  4. something imagined or pictured in the mind

    "that modernistic building does not match my notion of what a country cottage should look like"

    similar: abstraction, cogitation, concept, conception, idea, image, impression, intellection, mind's eye, picture, thought
    related: apprehension, premonition, presentiment, preconception, prejudice, prepossession, chimera, delusion, hallucination, illusion, phantasm, caprice, conceit, fancy, freak, kink, vagary, whim, cognition, observation, perception, reflection, assumption, belief, conclusion, conviction, conjecture, guess, hunch, hypothesis, speculation, supposition, surmise, theory, brainchild, brainstorm, brain wave, inspiration
    near: actuality, fact, reality

  5. an idea or statement about all of the members of a group or all the instances of a situation

    "the popular notion that college athletes are airheads"

    similar: concept, conception, generality, generalization, stereotype
    related: bromide, cliché, commonplace, platitude, truism, adage, proverb, saw, saying, hypothesis, proposition, theory, oversimplification, simplification, simplism

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Notion

The most common words with a similar meaning to Notion:

etceteras, novelties, odds and ends, sundries, bee, caprice, crank, fancy, freak, humor, kink, maggot, megrim, vagary, vagrancy, whim, whimsy, belief, conviction, eye, feeling, judgment, mind, opinion, persuasion, sentiment, verdict, view, abstraction, cogitation, concept, conception, idea, image, impression, intellection, mind's eye, picture, thought, generality

Related Words for Notion

baubles, bric-a-brac, gewgaws, knickknacks, trinkets, gadgets, gimmicks, jiggers, hodgepodge, miscellany, variety, capriciousness, fancifulness, fantasy, freakishness, impetuosity, whimsicality, conceit, brainstorm, inspiration, say, perception, take, attitude, assumption, presumption, presupposition, conclusion, decision, determination

Near Antonyms of Notion

fact, truth, actuality, reality

Origin & Etymology of Notion

Latin notion-, notio, from noscere

First known use: 1531

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Notion

Words & Phrases Containing Notion

not have the faintest idea/notion

Frequently Asked Questions about Notion

What does "Notion" mean?

"Notion" means an individual's conception or impression of something known, experienced, or imagined. As a noun, it is defined as: an individual's conception or impression of something known, experienced, or imagined. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Notion"?

Other words for "Notion" include etceteras, novelties, odds and ends, sundries, bee, caprice, crank and fancy. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Notion" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Notion"?

There are 135 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Notion". Common alternatives include etceteras, novelties, odds and ends, sundries, bee, caprice, crank, fancy, freak and humor.

How do you use "Notion" in a sentence?

Examples of "Notion" in a sentence: "the fabric store had a wide variety of thread, pins, buttons, and other notions"; "I have a notion to go in-line skating this afternoon"; "has this naive notion that most people are basically honest".

Is "Notion" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Notion" is a noun.

Is "Notion" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Notion" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+. It is on the Academic Word List, so it appears often in IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, and university texts.

How do you pronounce "Notion"?

"Notion" is pronounced /ˈnō-shən/ and divided into syllables as no·tion.

What is the origin of the word "Notion"?

"Notion" comes from Latin notion-, notio, from noscere. First known use: 1531.