notion

[noh-shuh n] /ˈnoʊ ʃən/
noun
1.
a general understanding; vague or imperfect conception or idea of something:
a notion of how something should be done.
2.
an opinion, view, or belief:
That's his notion, not mine.
3.
conception or idea:
his notion of democracy.
4.
a fanciful or foolish idea; whim:
She had a notion to swim in the winter.
5.
an ingenious article, device, or contrivance; knickknack.
6.
notions, small articles, as buttons, thread, ribbon, and other personal items, especially such items displayed together for sale, as in a department store.
Origin
1560-70; < Latin nōtiōn- (stem of nōtiō) examination, idea, equivalent to nōt(us) past participle of nōscere (see notify) + -iōn- -ion
Related forms
notionless, adjective
Synonyms
1, 3. See idea.
Examples from the web for notion
  • No one should be surprised by the notion of teaching as a performance, although some of you may be appalled at the idea.
  • In some ways this is an old notion, but it has new urgency in our increasingly idea-driven world.
  • To him, the idea of data that cannot be saved is almost as heretical as the notion of data that is not worth saving.
  • This notion is superficially puzzling.
  • Where did you get this quaint notion that all forumites are equal?
  • In short its a ridiculous ill conceived notion.
  • So I had this romantic notion about who might live there and what they might do.
  • He also had a very limited notion of personal space.
  • No scientist has the foggiest notion of what energy or matter ultimately is, even though that is what sciences works with.
  • Some might find the very notion amusing.
British Dictionary definitions for notion

notion

/ˈnəʊʃən/
noun
1.
a vague idea; impression
2.
an idea, concept, or opinion
3.
an inclination or whim
See also notions
Word Origin
C16: from Latin nōtiō a becoming acquainted (with), examination (of), from noscere to know
Word Origin and History for notion
n.

late 14c., from Latin notionem (nominative notio) "concept, conception, idea, notice," noun of action from past participle stem of noscere "come to know" (see know). Coined by Cicero as a loan-translation of Greek ennoia "act of thinking, notion, conception," or prolepsis "previous notion, previous conception."