opinion

English

Etymology

From English opine +‎ -ion, from Middle English opinion, opinioun, from Anglo-Norman and Middle French opinion, from Latin opīniō, from opīnor (“to opine”). Displaced native Old English wēna.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /əˈpɪnjən/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: opin‧ion
• Rhymes: -ɪnjən

Noun

opinion (countable and uncountable, plural opinions)

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.

   • 1891, Oscar Wilde, The Critic as Artist:

     Truth, in matters of religion, is simply the opinion that has survived.

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 Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, , 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, 6th edition, volumes (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: J Bettenham, for Jonah Bowyer, , published 1727, →OCLC:

     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 S 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 M 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 W for Cutbert Burby, published 1598, →OCLC; republished as Shakspere’s Loves Labours Lost (Shakspere-Quarto Facsimiles; no. 5), London: W Griggs, , , →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

• take (noun)
• view

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

See also

• fact

Verb

opinion (third-person singular simple present 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

Translations

References

• “opinion”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
• opinion in Keywords for Today: A 21st Century Vocabulary, edited by The Keywords Project, Colin MacCabe, Holly Yanacek, 2018.
• “opinion”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.

Esperanto

Noun

opinion

1. accusative singular of opinio

French

Etymology

From Middle French opinion, from Latin opīniōnem.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɔ.pi.njɔ̃/

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

opinion f (plural opinions)

1. opinion (thought, estimation)

Derived terms

Further reading

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

Middle French

Etymology

From Latin opīniō.

Noun

opinion f (plural opinions)

1. opinion (thought, estimation)

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Latin opīniō, via French opinion.

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

opinion m (definite singular opinionen, indefinite plural opinioner, definite plural opinionene)

1. (public) opinion

Derived terms

• folkeopinion

References

• “opinion” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Latin opīniō, via French opinion.

Noun

opinion m (definite singular opinionen, indefinite plural opinionar, definite plural opinionane)

1. (public) opinion

Derived terms

• folkeopinion

References

• “opinion” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Occitan

Etymology

From Latin opīniō.

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

opinion f (plural opinions)

1. opinion

   Synonym: vejaire

Swedish

Noun

opinion c

1. (public) opinion (opinion of a (larger) group of people)

Declension

Derived terms

• opinionsundersökning (“opinion poll”)

See also

• åsikt

References

• opinion in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• opinion in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• opinion in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)