notion Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a vague idea in which some confidence is placed
    impression; feeling; belief; opinion.
    • his impression of her was favorable
    • what are your feelings about the crisis?
    • it strengthened my belief in his sincerity
    • I had a feeling that she was lying
  2. noun a general inclusive concept
  3. noun an odd or fanciful or capricious idea
    whim; whimsey; whimsy.
    • the theatrical notion of disguise is associated with disaster in his stories
    • he had a whimsy about flying to the moon
    • whimsy can be humorous to someone with time to enjoy it
  4. noun (usually plural) small personal articles or clothing or sewing items
    • buttons and needles are notions

WordNet

No"tion
Etymology
L. notio, fr. noscere to know: cf. F. notion. See Know.
Definitions
  1. Mental apprehension of whatever may be known or imagined; an idea; a conception; more properly, a general or universal conception, as distinguishable or definable by marks or notæ.
    What hath been generally agreed on, I content myself to assume under the notion of principles. Sir I. Newton.
    Few agree in their notions about these words. Cheyne.
    That notion of hunger, cold, sound, color, thought, wish, or fear which is in the mind, is called the "idea" of hunger, cold, etc. I. Watts.
    Notion, again, signifies either the act of apprehending, signalizing, that is, the remarking or taking note of, the various notes, marks, or characters of an object which its qualities afford, or the result of that act. Sir W. Hamilton.
  2. A sentiment; an opinion.
    The extravagant notion they entertain of themselves. Addison.
    A perverse will easily collects together a system of notions to justify itself in its obliquity. J. H. Newman.
  3. Sense; mind. Obs. Shak.
  4. An invention; an ingenious device; a knickknack; as, Yankee notions. Colloq.
  5. Inclination; intention; disposition; as, I have a notion to do it. Colloq.

Webster 1913