ambition English · revision 15040

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1340|origins=la ambiō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /æmˈbɪʃ.ən/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|ambicioun]], [[bor|fro|ambicion]] or directly [[la|ambitiō|t=a going round, canvassing for votes]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024)^(NODE 1998) from [[m|la|ambiō|t=to go around]] (see [[ambient]]), from [[m|la|amb-|t=around]] and [[m|la|eō|t=to go]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ An ardent, in early use inordinate, desire for honour or advancement: 1340, in the Ayenbite of Inwyt.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense developed in Latin from candidates in Rome going round to canvass votes, to a striving for favour, and then to a desire for fame.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021) In early English use it was always unfavourable, grouped with pride and vainglory.^(Etymonline) Ostentation is an obsolete sense of 1382, and canvassing for honours of 1531.^(OED 1989) A strong desire for anything good is from 1607, and the object of such a desire from 1602.^(OED 1989) An obsolete verb, to make ambitious, is from before 1628.^(OED 1989) In Irish and American dialect to ambition something was to aspire to it.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1340 – a desire for honour.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1382 – ostentation (obsolete).^(OED 1989)

+ * 1602 – the object of desire.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1607 – any strong desire.^(OED 1989)

+ * before 1628 – to ambition (verb).^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A strong desire to achieve something, such as success, power or fame.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The goal or object desired.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Desire for activity; energy.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ambitionless]]

+ * [[ambitionlessly]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ambience]]

+ * [[ambient]]

+ * [[ambit]]

+ * [[ambitious]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}