What does purpose mean?
Definitions for purpose
ˈpɜr pəspur·pose
Here are all the possible meanings and translations of the word purpose.
Princeton's WordNet
purpose, intent, intention, aim, design(noun)
an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions
"his intent was to provide a new translation"; "good intentions are not enough"; "it was created with the conscious aim of answering immediate needs"; "he made no secret of his designs"
function, purpose, role, use(noun)
what something is used for
"the function of an auger is to bore holes"; "ballet is beautiful but what use is it?"
determination, purpose(verb)
the quality of being determined to do or achieve something; firmness of purpose
"his determination showed in his every movement"; "he is a man of purpose"
aim, purpose, purport, propose(verb)
propose or intend
"I aim to arrive at noon"
purpose, resolve(verb)
reach a decision
"he resolved never to drink again"
Webster Dictionary
Purpose(noun)
that which a person sets before himself as an object to be reached or accomplished; the end or aim to which the view is directed in any plan, measure, or exertion; view; aim; design; intention; plan
Etymology: [OF. purposer, proposer. See Propose.]
Purpose(noun)
proposal to another; discourse
Etymology: [OF. purposer, proposer. See Propose.]
Purpose(noun)
instance; example
Etymology: [OF. purposer, proposer. See Propose.]
Purpose(verb)
to set forth; to bring forward
Etymology: [OF. purposer, proposer. See Propose.]
Purpose(verb)
to propose, as an aim, to one's self; to determine upon, as some end or object to be accomplished; to intend; to design; to resolve; -- often followed by an infinitive or dependent clause
Etymology: [OF. purposer, proposer. See Propose.]
Purpose(verb)
to have a purpose or intention; to discourse
Etymology: [OF. purposer, proposer. See Propose.]
Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
Purpose
pur′pos, n. idea or aim kept before the mind as the end of effort: aim, intention: effect: (Spens.) conversation: (pl.) a sort of conversational game.—Of, or On, purpose, with design, intentionally; To the purpose, to the point, or material to the question. [O. Fr. pourpos, propos—L. propositum, a thing intended—pro, forward, ponĕre, positum, to place.]
Purpose
pur′pos, v.t. to intend (often followed by an infinitive or participial clause as its object).—v.i. to have an intention: (Spens.) to discourse.—adj. Pur′poseful, having an object: full of meaning.—adv. Pur′posefully.—n. Pur′posefulness.—adj. Pur′poseless, without purpose or effect: aimless.—adv. Pur′poselessly.—n. Pur′poselessness.—adj. Pur′pose-like, having a definite purpose: having the appearance of being fit for a purpose.—adv. Pur′posely, with purpose: intentionally.—n. Pur′poser.—adj. Pur′posive, having an aim: (biol.) functional.—n. Pur′posiveness. [O. Fr. purposer, form of proposer, influenced by Fr. propos.]
Editors Contribution
purpose
A reason to exist.
We all require a sense of purpose to focus on daily and to motivate our actions.
Submitted by MaryC on August 25, 2020purpose
An accurate and specific vision, strategy, goal, objective, plan or budget we choose.
The company was fit for purpose and all worked in harmony with each other to achieve.
Submitted by MaryC on January 26, 2020
Suggested Resources
purpose
Song lyrics by purpose -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by purpose on the Lyrics.com website.
British National Corpus
Spoken Corpus Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'purpose' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #1082
Written Corpus Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'purpose' in Written Corpus Frequency: #1509
Nouns Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'purpose' in Nouns Frequency: #264
Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of purpose in Chaldean Numerology is: 3
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of purpose in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2
Examples of purpose in a Sentence
The purpose of life is to fight maturity.
We have a direct participant in these transactions, Michael Cohen, who has testified under oath that the purpose of these payments was to influence the election, there certainly wasn't evidence like that in the John Edwards trial.
For somebody quoting the Bible, as much as she’s quoting the Bible, that’s just why I hope that she’s just completely ignorant, and is n’t lying on purpose to the American people that many times, Mika Brzezinski, that would be terrible, there’s a commandment against the lying.
In short, if Cameron said “bunch of migrants” by accident, he is a dick, but if he said it on purpose, in order to draw the eye, dead-cat-style, away from the Google atrocity, which he did, then he is a bastard, which is worse.
If the purpose of( a payroll tax cut) or a check is to stimulate the economy and help people in need, I think when a person has a check in his hand... I think that's going to do more economic good than if we dribble out $ 30 every paycheck, because people are going to notice it and maybe take some action as a result.
Popularity rank by frequency of use
Translations for purpose
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- نيّة, سبب, هدف, غرArabic
- ниәтBashkir
- úmysl, účel, cílCzech
- mening, intention, mål, grund, formålDanish
- Zweck, Absicht, Intention, Grund, beabsichtigen, Ziel, Thema, planenGerman
- σκοπός, σκοπεύω, πρόθεση, στόχος, λόγος, αιτίαGreek
- objeto, determinación, intención, propósito, objetivo, tema, razón, resolución, decisión, proponerseSpanish
- هدفPersian
- tarkoitusFinnish
- ætlaFaroese
- but, sujet, intention, objectifFrench
- rùnScottish Gaelic
- מטרה, סיבה, כוונה, נחישותHebrew
- उद्देHindi
- szándék, céljaHungarian
- tujuanIndonesian
- ætlaIcelandic
- soggetto, intenzione, proposito, argomento, scopoItalian
- מטרהHebrew
- 目的Japanese
- 목적Korean
- propositumLatin
- vastberadenheid, van plan zijn, nut, doel, bedoeling, intentie, reden, strekking, opzet, zinDutch
- mål, hensiktNorwegian
- temat, intencja, zagadnienie, cel, powód, zamiar, cel, powódPolish
- objetivo, propósito, intençãoPortuguese
- determinare, subiect, scop, rost, țintă, cauză, motiv, țel, obiectiv, temăRomanian
- цель, причинаRussian
- namjera, svrha, ciljSerbo-Croatian
- avsikt, syfteSwedish
- நோக்கம்Tamil
- วัตถุประสงค์Thai
- amaçTurkish
- метаUkrainian
- مقصدUrdu
- mục đíchVietnamese
- צילYiddish
- 目的Chinese
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"purpose." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2021. Web. 1 Mar. 2021. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/purpose>.