contemplate

English

Etymology

Attested since the 1590s; from Latin contemplatus (contemplātus), from contemplari (“observe, survey”).

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈkɑn.təm.ˌpleɪt/, SAMPA: /"kAn.t@m.%pleIt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Verb

contemplate (third-person singular simple present contemplates, present participle contemplating, simple past and past participle contemplated)

1. To think about something in a concentrated manner or for an extended period of time. To think deeply about something; to ponder or consider.
2. To consider as a possibility.

   I contemplated doing the project myself, but it would have taken too long.

Synonyms

• See also Wikisaurus:ponder

Translations

think about something in a concentrated manner

Bulgarian: обмислям (bg) Finnish: pohtia, pohdiskella, mietiskellä, suunnitella French: envisager (fr), étudier (fr), contempler (fr) Greek: συλλογίζομαι (el) (syllogízomai) Hungarian: elmélkedik (hu), szemlél (hu) Interlingua: contemplar (ia) Japanese: 熟考する (じゅっこうする, jyukkousurú) (1)

Norwegian: vurdere Romanian: cugeta (ro), contempla (ro), chibzui (ro) Russian: размышлять (ru) Scottish Gaelic: meòraich (gd), cnuasaich (gd) Spanish: contemplar (es) Turkish: yoğunlaşmak (tr)

Derived terms

• contemplative
• contemplatively

References

• “contemplate” in the Online Etymology Dictionary, Douglas Harper, 2001

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Italian

Verb

contemplate

1. second-person plural present indicative of contemplare
2. second-person plural imperative of contemplare
3. Feminine plural of contemplato

Anagrams

• completante

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Latin

Participle

contemplāte

1. vocative masculine singular of contemplātus