opinion
Etymology

From English , from Middle English opinion, opinioun, from Anglo-Norman - and Middle French opinion, from Latin opīniō, from opīnor ("to opine").

Pronunciation
  • IPA: /əˈpɪnjən/
Noun

opinion

  1. A belief, judgment or perspective that a person has formed, either through objective or subjective reasoning, about a topic, issue, person or thing.
    I would like to know your opinions on the new filing system.
    In my opinion, white chocolate is better than milk chocolate.
    Every man is a fool in some man's opinion.
    We invite you to state your opinions about the suggestions.
  2. The judgment or sentiment which the mind forms of persons or things; estimation.
    • c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act I, scene vii], page 135 ↗, column 1, line 32:
      I haue bought / Golden Opinions from all ſorts of people, […]
    • 1692–1717, Robert South, Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London:
      Friendship […] gives a man a peculiar right and claim to the good opinion of his friend.
  3. (obsolete) Favorable estimation; hence, consideration; reputation; fame; public sentiment or esteem.
    • c. 1597 (date written), [William Shakespeare], The History of Henrie the Fourth; […], quarto edition, London: […] P[eter] S[hort] for Andrew Wise, […], published 1598, →OCLC ↗, [Act V, scene iv], signature K2, verso ↗:
      Thou haſt redeemed thy loſt opinion, […]
    • 1670, John Milton, “The Second Book”, in The History of Britain, that Part Especially now Call'd England. […], London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for James Allestry, […] , →OCLC ↗, page 70 ↗:
      This gain’d Agricola much opinion; who […] had made ſuch early progreſs into laborious […] enterpriſes.
  4. (obsolete) Obstinacy in holding to one's belief or impression; opiniativeness; conceitedness.
    • c. 1595–1596 (date written), W. Shakespere [i.e., William Shakespeare], A Pleasant Conceited Comedie Called, Loues Labors Lost. […] (First Quarto), London: […] W[illiam] W[hite] for Cut[h]bert Burby, published 1598, →OCLC ↗; republished as Shakspere’s Loves Labours Lost (Shakspere-Quarto Facsimiles; no. 5), London: W[illiam] Griggs, […], [1880], →OCLC ↗, [Act V, scene i] ↗, lines 3–6:
      […] your reaſons at Dinner haue been ſharpe & ſententious: pleaſant without ſcurillitie, wittie without affection, audatious without impudencie, learned without opinion, and ſtrange without hereſie: […]
  5. The formal decision, or expression of views, of a judge, an umpire, a doctor, or other party officially called upon to consider and decide upon a matter or point submitted.
  6. (European Union law) A judicial opinion delivered by an Advocate General to the European Court of Justice where he or she proposes a legal solution to the cases for which the court is responsible.
Synonyms Related terms Translations Translations Verb

opinion (opinions, present participle opinioning; simple past and past participle opinioned)

  1. (transitive, archaic) To have or express as an opinion.
    • 1658, Sir Thomas Browne, The Graden of Cyrus, Folio Society, published 2007, page 166:
      But if (as some opinion) King Ahasuerus were Artaxerxes Mnemon [...], our magnified Cyrus was his second Brother



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