English Explanatory Dictionary

purpose

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The end for which something is done, is made or exists.
  2. Function, role.
  3. meaning for existing or doing something.
  4. Resolution; determination.
  5. The subject of discourse; the point at issue.
verb
  1. To have or set as one's purpose or aim; resolve to accomplish; intend; plan.
  2. To have (an) intention, purpose, or design; to intend; to mean.
  3. To discourse.

Pronunciation

/ˈpɝpəs/ /ˈpɜːpəs/ en-us-purpose.ogg /ˈpɜ.pəs/ /ˈpɜ.poʊs/ /ˈpʊː(ɹ)pəs/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-purpose.wav

Word forms

purpose purposes purposing purposed

Etymology

From Middle English purpos, from Old French purposer (“to propose”) (with conjugation altered based on poser), from Latin prō- (“forth”) + pōnere (“place, put”), hence Latin prōpōnō, prōpōnere. By surface analysis, pur- + pose (“halt, pause, put, place”).

Synonyms

goal object target plan intention reason for doing something end point aim meaning determination resolution matter subject topic intend mean set out

Derived words

all-purpose all-purpose flour apurpose by-purpose cross purpose cross-purpose dative of purpose defeat the purpose dispurpose dual-purpose fit for purpose for all intents and purposes forepurpose game with a purpose general-purpose infinitive of purpose mispurpose multipurpose multi-purpose purpose-built purposeful purposeless purpose-like purposelike purpose loan purposely purpose-made purpose statement repurpose special-purpose special-purpose entity special-purpose vehicle subpurpose the purpose of a system is what it does to no purpose to the purpose unpurpose on purpose purposive purposed purposer
This entry uses open data from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA/GFDL). Word forms are used for search and are not indexed as separate pages.
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