purpose

Meanings

Noun

• An objective to be reached; a target; an aim; a goal.
• A result that is desired; an intention.
• The act of intending to do something; resolution; determination.
• The subject of discourse; the point at issue.
• conversation
• The reason for which something is done, or the reason it is done in a particular way.
• Instance; example.

Verb

• To have set as one's purpose; resolve to accomplish; intend; plan.
• To design for some purpose.
• To discourse.

Related

Similar words

• determination, intention, resolution
• matter, subject, topic
• reason
• aim, intend, mean, plan, set out
• intended

Narrower meaning words

• common purpose
• metapurpose

Origin

• From Middle English purpos, from Old French purposer ("to propose") (with conjugation altered based on poser), from Latin prō- ("forth") + pono, hence Latin propono.
• From Middle English purposen, from Old French purposer ("to propose").