ENGLISH
REFERENCE

notion

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford US //ˈnoʊʃən// UK //nˈəʊʃən// no·tion Academic Archaic General-service Informal

n. a belief, idea, or opinion about something. It is often used when you are talking about an idea that might be a bit vague or not fully proven.

n. a belief or understanding of something; a mental representation of a concept. Often implies a subjective or speculative idea rather than a concrete fact.


SIMPLE

I have no notion of what he is talking about.

CONTEXTUAL

The traditional notion that a college degree guarantees a high-paying job is being questioned by many young people today.

COMPLEX

The author challenges the romanticised notion of rural life, presenting instead a gritty and realistic portrayal of the hardships faced by farming communities in the nineteenth century.

Synonyms
Origin

From Latin nōtiō (“a becoming acquainted, a taking cognizance, an examination, an investigation, a conception, idea, notion”), from nōscō (“to know”). Compare French notion. See know.

Usage

Commonly followed by the preposition 'of' or a 'that' clause.

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