ENGLISH
REFERENCE

intentional

adj.
US //ˌɪnˈtɛnʃənəɫ// UK //ɪntˈɛnʃənəl// in·ten·tion·al
  1. 1 done on purpose (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    done on purpose and not by accident.

    done with intention or design; deliberate rather than accidental.

    Example

    I am sure his rude comment was intentional and not just a mistake.

    Example

    The defense argued that while the damage was extensive, it was not intentional but rather the result of systemic mechanical failure.

    Usage

    Usually precedes the noun it modifies.
  2. 2 legal/philosophical intent (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Formal Technical Law

    showing a clear plan or aim in a formal or legal way.

    relating to or characterized by conscious intent; in legal contexts, referring to an act committed with a specific mental state.

    Example

    The lawyer had to prove that the person's actions were intentional.

    Example

    The court must determine whether the defendant's interference with the contract was intentional or merely a byproduct of their own business interests.

    Usage

    Often appears in phrases like 'intentional tort' or 'intentional harm'.

    Teacher's tip

    In legal English, this word is used to separate acts of will from acts of negligence.
Origin

Borrowed from Medieval Latin intentiōnālis. By surface analysis, intention + -al.

Word family

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