attitude

English

Etymology

From French attitude, from Italian attitudine (“attitude, aptness”), from Medieval Latin aptitūdō (“aptitude”) and actitūdō (“acting, posture”), from Latin aptō and actitō. Doublet of aptitude.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈætɪˌtjuːd/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈætɪˌtud/,
• (Pakistani English) IPA^(key): /ˈɛːtɪtˌjuːd/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

attitude (countable and uncountable, plural attitudes)

1. The position of the body or way of carrying oneself.

   Synonyms: posture, stance

   The ballet dancer walked with a graceful attitude.

   • 1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XII, in Francesca Carrara. , volume II, London: Richard Bentley, , (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 145:

     The lamp stood on the table, and Carrara leant by the huge tome spread out before him; and opposite sat Beatrice, bending over her broidery—the small head, with its rich knot of gathered hair, so exquisitely placed—the slender figure, so graceful in its attitude.

2. (figurative) Disposition or state of mind.

   Don't give me your negative attitude.

   You've got a nice attitude today.

3. (Canada, US, UK, Philippines, informal) Unpleasant behavior.

   He doesn't take attitude from anybody.

   I asked the waiter for a clean fork and all I got was attitude.

   • 2004, “Drop It Like It's Hot”, performed by Snoop Dogg ft. Pharrell Williams:

     And if a nigga get a attitude / Pop it like it's hot

4. (aeronautics, nautical, engineering) The orientation of a vehicle or other object relative to the horizon, direction of motion, other objects, etc.

   Synonyms: trim, orientation

   The airliner had to land with a nose-up attitude after the incident.

   • 1982, Thomas Charles Gillmer, Bruce Johnson, Introduction to naval architecture, page 286:

     The stern planes are located well aft of the center of gravity of the submarine and their primary purpose is attitude (trim) control

   • 1997, Paul J. Ciolino, Grace Elting Castle, Advanced Forensic Civil Investigations, page 109:

     Scratches should be closely analyzed to determine the attitudes of the boats at the time of initial contact.

   • 1999, Smart Materials Structures of Systems, →ISBN, page 307:

     The main aim of the development of the smart antenna model is to stabilize attitude of the antenna which is mounted on a platform or host structure.

5. (ballet) A position similar to arabesque, but with the raised leg bent at the knee.
   • 2007, Gayle Kassing, History of Dance: An Interactive Arts Approach, page 134:

     Blasis was a man of many accomplishments. He invented the ballet position of attitude and codified the ballet technique of that time, distinguishing three types of dancers: the serious, the demi-caractère, and the comic dancer.

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

attitude (third-person singular simple present attitudes, present participle attituding, simple past and past participle attituded)

1. To assume or to place in a particular position or orientation; to pose.
   • 1823, Felix M'Donogh, The Hermit Abroad, volume 1, page 122:

     […] nymphs of quality, formed for the offices of love and of conversation, are attituded about her, each star set as it were in surrounding satellites of admirers; […]

   • 1837, William E. Burton, The Gentleman's Magazine, volume 1, page 123:

     Attituded like an inspired curling-tongs, leaning back heavily on his right leg, and throwing forward his left, his arm elevated to a level with his shoulder, the clenched fist grasping a brush that might have been available in […]

   • 1971, Advances in Astronautical Sciences, American Astronautical Society, Volume 29, Part 2, page 395:

     The attituded control gyro package, electronics, APS gas supply, and the preentry electronics are mounted internally, and are distributed circumferentially at the major ring.

2. To express an attitude through one's posture, bearing, tone of voice, etc.
   • 2002, Wayne Normis, The Last Street Fighter, page 33:

     He attituded his way over to me, got up close, and just stood there looking at me, trying to appear threatening.

   • 2008, Yvonne Müller, "The Absentee": an Interpretation - an Analysis of Maria Edgeworth's Novel, page 12:

     The typical characteristic attituded toward the English is coldness.

   • 2010, R. Scott, Nine Months and a Year Later, page 82:

     I was really tripping, 'cause this nigga had the nerve to be attituded up when he was the one always doing something he had no business doing.

Further reading

• “attitude”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “attitude”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.

Anagrams

• attuited

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian attitudine (“attitude, aptness”), from Medieval Latin aptitūdō (“aptitude”) (whence French aptitude) and actitūdō (“acting, posture”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a.ti.tyd/

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

attitude f (plural attitudes)

1. attitude, position

Further reading

• “attitude”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé , 2012.