purpose
English · Thesaurus
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purpose¹
- /ˈpɜː.pəs/ UK
- /ˈpɝ.pəs/ Canada, US
- /ˈpɜː.pəs/ Australia
- /ˈpøː.pəs/ New Zealand
- /ˈpɜ.pəs/ Hong Kong
- /ˈpɜ.poʊs/ Hong Kong, proscribed
- /ˈpʊː(ɹ)pəs/
Rhymes with -ɜː(ɹ)pəs
Where it comes from
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”).
noun purposes
- The end for which something is done, is made or exists. What is the purpose of your visit?
- Function, role. The exceptionally small gate-leg table served the purpose of a tea table admirably.
-
meaning for existing or doing something.
Before being hospitalized, Thea filled her days with work that gave her life purpose. Whether it was teaching, writing, or investing in relationships, Thea was busily and actively engaged in activity that she could feel good about.
Similar: meaning
-
Resolution; determination.
[…]purſued his vnneighbourly purpoſe in ſuch ſort: that hee being the ſtronger perſwader, and ſhe (belike) too credulous in beleeuing or elſe ouer-feeble in reſiſting, from priuate imparlance, they fell to action; and continued their cloſe fight a long while together, vnſeene and vvithout ſuſpition,
Similar: determination, intention, resolution
- The subject of discourse; the point at issue. […]he was woont to ſpeake plaine, and to the purpoſe (like an honeſt man and a ſouldier) […]
Similar: goal, object, target, plan, intention, reason for doing something, aim
purpose²
- /ˈpɜː.pəs/ UK
- /ˈpɝ.pəs/ Canada, US
- /ˈpɜː.pəs/ Australia
- /ˈpøː.pəs/ New Zealand
- /ˈpɜ.pəs/ Hong Kong
- /ˈpɜ.poʊs/ Hong Kong, proscribed
- /ˈpʊː(ɹ)pəs/
Rhymes with -ɜː(ɹ)pəs
Where it comes from
From Middle English purposen, from Old French purposer (“to propose”).
verb purposes · purposing · purposed
- To have or set as one's purpose or aim; resolve to accomplish; intend; plan. 1485 – Thomas Malory. Le Morte Darthur, Book X, Chapter xxxvi, leaf 235v Soo was Alysander purposed to ryde to london by the coūceille of sire Tristram to syre Launcelot / "So was Alisander purposed to ride to London, by the counsel of Sir Tristram, to Sir Launcelot."
-
To have (an) intention, purpose, or design; to intend; to mean.
Upon my ſoul, / You may beleeve him: nor did he ere purpoſe / To me but nobly;[…]
Similar: intend
- To discourse. Whom ouertaking, ſhe in merry ſort Them gan to bord, and purpoſe diuerſly,[…]
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: intention, intent, resolve, function, determination, propose, use, role, design, purport, aim, effect, sake, cause, relevance, significance
Translations
Every language
noun intention
| Español | propósito, intención, objetivo |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 의도 uido, 목적 mokjeok |
| 日本語 | 意図 ito, 意向 ikō |
| 中文 | 意向 yìxiàng, 意圖 /意图 yìtú |
| हिन्दी | इच्छा icchā, चाह cāh, कामना kāmnā |
| Português | propósito, intenção, objetivo |
| Français | intention |
| Deutsch | Intention, Absicht |
| Italiano | intenzione, intento |
| Ελληνικά | σκοπός skopós, πρόθεση próthesi |
| Română | rost, obiectiv, intenție |
| Русский | наме́рение namérenije |
| العربية | نِيَّة niyya |
| עברית | כוונה \ כַּוָּנָה kavaná |
noun end for which something is done, is made or exists
| Español | propósito |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 목적 mokjeok, 목표 mokpyo |
| 日本語 | 目的 mokuteki, 目標 |
| 中文 | 目的 mùdì, 目標 /目标 mùbiāo |
| हिन्दी | अभिप्राय abhiprāy, मक़सद maqsad, हदफ़ hadaf, निशाना niśānā, लक्ष्य lakṣya |
| Português | propósito |
| Français | but, objectif |
| Deutsch | Zweck, Ziel |
| Italiano | proposito, finalità, scopo, obiettivo |
| Ελληνικά | σκοπός skopós, στόχος stóchos |
| Română | scop, rost, țel, țintă |
| Русский | цель celʹ, предназначе́ние prednaznačénije |
| Tiếng Việt | mục tiêu, mục đích |
| العربية | هَدَف hadaf, مَقْصِد maqṣid, مَقْصَد maqṣad, غَايَة ḡāya |
| עברית | מַטָּרָה matará |
noun determination
| Español | decisión, determinación, resolución |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 결심 gyeolsim, 결의 gyeorui |
| हिन्दी | संकल्पित saṅkalpit, लक्षित lakṣit |
| Français | détermination |
| Italiano | determinazione, decisione, risoluzione |
| Română | determinare |
| Русский | реши́мость rešímostʹ, реши́тельность rešítelʹnostʹ, упо́рство upórstvo |
| עברית | נְחִישׁוּת nekhishút |
noun reason for doing something
| Español | propósito, objeto, razón |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 의도 uido, 목적 mokjeok |
| Português | propósito |
| Deutsch | Grund |
| Italiano | proposito |
| Ελληνικά | λόγος lógos, αιτία aitía |
| Română | cauză, motiv, rost |
| Русский | цель celʹ, моти́в motív, причи́на pričína |
| العربية | سَبَب sabab |
| עברית | סיבה \ סִבָּה sibá, מוֹטִיבַצְיָה motivátsya |
noun subject of discourse
| Español | tema, objeto |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 논점 nonjeom, 논지 nonji, 논쟁점 nonjaengjeom |
| Français | sujet, propos |
| Deutsch | Thema |
| Italiano | argomento, soggetto |
| Română | subiect, temă |
| Русский | те́ма téma |
| עברית | נוֹשֵׂא nosé |
verb have set as one's purpose; intend
| Español | proponerse |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 의도하다 uidohada, 뜻하다 tteuthada, 마음먹다 ma'eummeokda |
| Português | propor-se |
| Deutsch | beabsichtigen, planen, vorschlagen |
| Ελληνικά | σκοπεύω skopévo |
| Română | intenționa |
| Русский | намерева́ться namerevátʹsja |
| עברית | מתכוון mitkavén |
verb passive: design for some purpose
| Русский | служи́ть це́лью služítʹ célʹju |
|---|
Talk about this word "purpose." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/purpose. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. purpose. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/purpose "purpose." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/purpose.Cite this
@misc{purpose_2026,
title = {purpose},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/purpose},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
